Behind the Mask
by NarniaIsAwesome
Summary: Sometimes good people have to do hard things. Are all villains really villains? What secrets lie behind the masks they wear? What webs of lies have been woven for the sole purpose of protecting the things they love most? Perhaps there is more to the stories than anyone knows. What really happened in New York and Narnia? Only two people know... Rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

Tumnus blessed his lucky stars that no one had seen him with Lucy. He had no idea that they had, indeed, been seen. The girl in the shadows had seen everything. She returned to the castle of ice with this knowledge hidden away in her mind. What should she do? The prophecy was coming true! Jadis would find out eventually, and then there would be hell to pay for anyone she could get her hands on.

Kloi (Chloe) hurried across the snow and ice to the great gates of the Witch's castle. The ogre on guard bowed with a growl. It was the only sound he could make after Jadis had his tongue cut out for failing to inform her of some trivial nonsense. Kloi ignored him, and swept through the gates as though she owned them.

Maugrim greeted her at the door that led from the courtyard into the main hall.

"Princess. The Queen commanded me to inform you that your presence is required. You are to go to her the moment you return."

Kloi inclined her head ever so slightly, acknowledgement of his words.

"Very well. You may go."

He bowed before her, and padded out of sight. Kloi turned sharply and gracefully mounted the steep stairs that would take her to the throne room. Jadis would know that she had returned, and would be waiting there. Her slender figure seemed to float up the icy staircase; the mist of frozen air that clung to the floors of the castle obscured her feet.

Kloi floated into the throne room, just as the Queen had taught her. Poise and grace at all times, dignity – knowledge that she was above everyone and everything else. The only equal she had was the Queen herself.

"Ah, my darling." Jadis purred.

"You sent for me, mother?"

"You've been working so hard recently, I rarely see you anymore!" She cooed, leaving her throne and reaching a hand toward her daughter.

Kloi mounted the steps of the dais, and placed her slender white hand in her mother's hand.

"It is my honor and delight to serve you, mother. That my service takes me away from you, pains me – but I would rather the pain of our separation if it means I know that your throne is forever secure." She replied smoothly, putting on her sweetest, most sincere face.

"That is right, my lovely child." She gently kissed Kloi's forehead. "Now then – do you have a report for me?"

Kloi inclined her head – shaking the head was not ladylike – and said quietly, "No, mother. I found nothing. There were no footprints in the snow – the Western Woods are undisturbed. I did not even see the footprints of the faun in residence. It would appear that Tumnus has been holed up since the last snowfall."

The Queen touched her chin thoughtfully. "Tumnus is under orders to report any activity to us, is he not?"

"Indeed, mother."

"Is he loyal to us?"

"I do not know, mother. Not all of the Narnians are loyal, but it can be difficult to tell which ones. However, loyalty makes little difference, does it not? As long as they are motivated by fear, there is no need for loyalty. Tumnus is afraid; I have made sure of that. He knows that should he so much as think a treasonous thought, he will find himself a statue in your glorious collection."

Jadis smiled, her vanity pleased by her daughter's flattering words.

"You seek to fatten me with flattery?" She asked, her pleasure showing in her eyes.

"I should never flatter you, mother. To flatter is to lie – and how could I lie to you?" Kloi said sweetly, aware that she was doing exactly what she just said she would never do.

Jadis cooed again. "My darling, what on earth would your mother do without you?"

Kloi smiled. "I am sure you would do just as well without me, mother. You need nothing and no one – for you are far and away the most beautiful, most powerful, person in the universe. No one can stand against you. If it pleases you, mother, may I retire? I am quite tired. I should hate to be less than my best this afternoon. If I am to mind the castle without your guiding presence while you ride about your lands… I wish to do my very best, mother. I do not wish to disappoint you."

Jadis smiled indulgently. "I think it so sweet that you place such importance on my opinion."

Kloi widened her eyes innocently. "Why, mother! How could I not? I desire to make you proud more than any other thing."

Jadis smiled again, clearly pleased again. "Of course you may retire, my dear. Have a good sleep."

Kloi smiled and kissed her mother's cheek carefully. "Thank you, mother."

She backed carefully away from the dais, and dipped in a shallow curtsey. Then she glided from the room.

That afternoon, her mother returned positively crowing.

"My darling Kloi! The prophecy shall be flouted!"

"Why mother, what do you mean?" Kloi was worried, but she carefully concealed it behind a mask of excited curiosity.

"There's been a new development. You say the woods were undisturbed early this morning?"

"Why, yes. Not a footprint did I see."

Jadis nodded slowly. "Then she must have come after that."

Kloi waited, knowing that her mother would explain when she was ready.

"I met a human child, a son of Adam, while in the woods. He – fool – told me that his sister had come here before him, and he followed her. Evidently she has been here before, who knows how long ago that may have been. There are four of them, darling. And the boy – well. He is going to bring them all to me!" Jadis crowed.

"Why, mother! How wonderful! With the prophecy flouted, there will be no threat at all to your rule! Neither a real threat, nor an imagined one!"

Jadis frowned suddenly. "The faun, Tumnus. He has betrayed us. The boy said that his sister met a faun named Tumnus while she was in our lands previously. Yet we have received no report!"

Kloi frowned fiercely. "The traitorous little vermin! He must be punished." Her heart sank at the words she was saying, but she could say nothing else.

"Precisely my thoughts. Bring him here, my darling. Have him thrown in the dungeon, have his little goat legs broken. We shall have another statue in our collection – but first I wish him to know pain. Great pain."

Kloi curtseyed. "It shall be done, mother, just as you desire."

Jadis nodded sharply. "Go then."

"I go." She responded, slipped from the room.

"Maugrim!" She shouted, allowing ice to slip into her voice. It helped curb her impatience at having to associate with the creatures under her mother's employ to be sharp and harsh with them. Fortunately, her mother thought nothing of it. The servants were beneath them both, after all, and should be treated accordingly.

The wolf appeared quickly. "Princess." He bowed.

"Select ten of your best wolves. We set off for Lantern Waste at once."

"Yes, Princess." He replied, and scurried out of sight.

Kloi sighed and quickly made her way to her own room to prepare herself. There was no way to get Tumnus out of this fix without blowing her cover, and so she would take more men than necessary so that (a) her mother would think she was zealous for her job, and (b) none of the Narnians would try to rescue Tumnus and end up in trouble themselves. Better that one die than that twenty die trying to save him.

She stared at herself in the mirror, and, for just a moment, allowed the magic that changed her appearance to slip away. Her reflection stared back at her. Long black hair framed a pale face from which gazed strikingly green eyes. This was who she really was, she thought.

_I am not what you think I am, Witch. One day you will see. Until then… I must seem to be what you want me to be._

Kloi renewed the magic that kept her appearance the way her mother wanted it. Now the eyes that stared back at her were an icy blue, the hair a pale blond, and the face almost snow white. She glanced down at her outfit.

A beautiful corset-top and soft pants that allowed her to move freely. White, from head to toe. Kloi hated it. She lived in a white world. Everything was snow and ice. And she couldn't even wear color, because her mother hated it. Color meant life, and Jadis was death. For a moment Kloi imagined a world filled with color, like she had seen once before, looking through the eyes of her brother.

Vibrant color would be everywhere, and she would wear them all. Few things were white, and those that were… They were tasteful, complimentary to the other colors swirled around them.

Kloi shook herself. There was no use fantasizing about something like that. It would never be, unless the prophecy was fulfilled. There would be time enough for fantasy when the war was won. It was coming, Kloi knew. She had known for months, ever since Aslan first returned to Narnia. Hiding his return from her mother had taken some doing, but she had managed it and was proud of herself for doing so.

Turning, Kloi started for the door, gathering her weapons as she went. She had a job to do.

Tumnus came quietly, aware that if he resisted, his punishment would only be worse. With a heavy heart, Kloi ordered the wolves to destroy the place. She nailed a proclamation to the doorpost; it explained his 'grievous crimes' and was signed by the Princess herself.

In the castle, Kloi handed the faun over to the jailer. The disgusting ogre would finish carrying out her mother's orders. Kloi was glad that at least she was spared hearing his screams as his bones were broken. She wasn't sure she could have borne it, and she might have thrown caution to the winds to save him.

But no. She couldn't do that. The boy – the one from the prophecy. He was caught in her mother's web, and Kloi must be here to help free him.

She did not go out again that day. She stayed in her room, only coming out for dinner. When her mother asked, Kloi told her that she was practicing her magic. She hadn't used that excuse for a while. Jadis bought it, and allowed her to spend almost the entire day in her room.

Kloi did practice her magic some – after all, she did try not to lie. Often it was unpreventable, but she tried to minimize her untruths as much as possible.

In the privacy of her room, Kloi gently touched the crystal that hung from a cord about her neck. It looked like it was made of blue ice. While she had magical powers in and of herself, since she was born of a magical being, the crystal was what allowed her to control them. It was the same for her mother, who could do no magic without her wand. They had magical abilities, but in order to use those abilities they needed something to help them channel and focus the powers they had. Without those tools, their powers would just go wild. If they tried to use magic without their special tool, their powers would spiral out of control. Sometimes their powers would even go wild when they experienced strong emotions, joy, anger, sadness, and fear – also when they experienced pain.

Kloi's powers were slightly different than her mother's – in fact, her powers were the same as her brother's. She could create illusions that would fool even the best. She could teleport, and communicate telepathically. She could create cold, ice, and snow. She could change her appearance, and the appearances of others – that was part of illusion, really. She could fight like anything, and she was a gifted liar. The last two weren't necessarily magical powers, but the fact that she could instantly tell when someone was lying was definitely a magical power. Most of these powers were unknown to her mother. Kloi had hidden them for years. All her mother knew about were her 'cold powers' as Kloi called them to herself, her powers with temperature, ice, and snow.

The next day, Kloi went about her business as she normally would. In fact, the next several days proceeded exactly the same way. It was on the third day, after the sun had set, that something finally changed.

Maugrim came into the room where Jadis and Kloi often sat and read in the evening. Well, Kloi read: Jadis signed official documents and execution orders.

"Your majesties."

Jadis glanced up, only then taking notice of the presence of her chief of police.

"What is it, Maugrim?" She demanded, none too pleasantly.

"The son of Adam has come." He responded respectfully.

Jadis raised an eyebrow. "He came alone?"

"Yes, your majesty."

The Witch frowned. "I see." She stood, and gestured for her daughter to follow her. Maugrim followed as well, since he hadn't been dismissed.

They entered the throne room in time to see the boy sit down on the Witch's throne. He looked around him with excitement. Kloi guessed that her mother had told him that if he brought his siblings to her, she would make him a prince or something. He must be imagining what it would be like to rule from this throne.

Jadis stepped forward, her hand touching the throne right beside the boy's head. "Like it?"

He jerked, and leapt up. "Y-yes. Your majesty."

Jadis gave him a cold look. "I thought you might." She sat down, and contemplated him silently for a long moment before speaking again. "Tell me, are your sisters deaf?"

The boy looked confused and like he might laugh. "No."

"And your brother, is he… unintelligent?"

"Well I think so." The boy started. "But Mum says – "

"Then how DARE you come ALONE?!" She shouted, standing up.

The boy backed up, suddenly afraid. "I tried – "

"Edmund I asked so little of you – "

"They just don't listen to me!" He protested.

"And you couldn't even do that!"

"But I did bring them halfway!" He cried hopefully.

Jadis stilled, silent.

"They're in the little house on the dam, with the beavers." He supplied eagerly.

The Witch barely moved, simply tapping a finger against her wand. "Well. I guess you're not a total loss then, are you."

She turned back towards her throne.

"Um, I was wondering – c-could I have some more Turkish delight, now?"

Jadis glanced back at him, and then turned to Kloi. "Our guest is hungry." The look in her eyes was enough to let Kloi know what to do.

She stepped forward and drew the dagger on her hip. "This way – for your num-nums." She said coldly, putting the knife to his back.

As they were about to leave the room, Kloi paused. Her mother was speaking, and Kloi had to know what her plans were.

"Maugrim?"

The wolf paced up beside the throne with a growl. Jadis leaned down toward him slightly. "You know what to do."

Maugrim growled again, then threw his head back and howled. Six or so of his wolves appeared from various doorways, and all were growling. He led them out of the room at a run. Fierce growls, barks, and snarls marked their progress through the castle.

Kloi hurried shoved the boy – his name must be Edmund, since that's what Jadis called him – out of the room and toward the dungeons. When she locked him in his cell, she cast him a scathing glance.

"Try not to get yourself in more trouble, hm?"

He glared at her, and she sighed and decided to ignore him for the moment. She went over to the cell beside him.

"Hey." She said softly.

Tumnus looked up and smiled thinly. She had been visiting him as often as she could, using her magic to help soothe his pain, and bringing him food. He knew, by this time, about her double life.

"Hello, Kloi." He replied.

"How are you doing?"

He snorted. "About as well as can be expected."

Kloi sighed. "I'm so sorry. I wish there was something I could do…"

"You've done so much already. You can't risk yourself for my sake – Narnia needs you too much. She'll catch on sooner or later, if you're not careful."

She gave him a wry smile. "When am I not careful?" Then she took some bread out of her pocket. "Here. It's not much – "

"Thank you, Kloi." He smiled gratefully.

"You have a new friend – who has a nose for trouble. Your friend Lucy's brother, I believe. Keep him company, would you? I have to try and beat Maugrim to his family, and I'm fast running out of time."

Tumnus's eyes widened. "Lucy – is she alright?"

"I don't know. I hope so. We need all four of them for the prophecy to be fulfilled, and Narnia freed." She paused suddenly, regretfully. "Tumnus…"

"I will not live long enough to see Narnia liberated." He responded, sadly. "I know that her patience wears thin."

Kloi felt a sheen of tears in her eyes. "Be strong, my friend. Death is not the end, only a new beginning." She whispered hoarsely.

He raised his eyes to hers suddenly. "Today?"

She nodded dumbly.

His head drooped and his shoulders slumped.

"I'm so sorry, Tumnus! I wish there was something I could do!"

"No, you must not try to help me. You have to get the humans to Aslan. There is no other way."

She sighed again. "I know."

Tumnus managed a shaky smile. "I'll be alright."

"I have to go. Time is running out." She turned away from Tumnus's cell, and glanced at Edmund again. "Do not breathe a word of this to my mother. If you want your family to live, I have to be able to help them. And I cannot do that if she kills me for betraying her. Understand?"

He stared at her. "She said she didn't have any children…"

Kloi sighed. "She lied. It's what she does best. Don't feel too terrible for falling for her tricks – she has many enchantments that make it hard to resist. Yet, at the same time, you should have come to your senses long before this. Now I have to try and pick up the pieces that you've dropped. I'm Kloi, by the way. Jadis's daughter by birth, but not by heart. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go."

She allowed herself to fade out of that dimension, and teleported to the beaver's dam. She could hear the wolves coming through the forest, and loud voices inside the dam.

"What is she doing?!" That was a human's voice. It must be Edmund's brother.

"Oh, you'll be thanking me later. It's a long journey, and Beaver gets pretty cranky when he's hungry."

Kloi slipped inside the dam without anyone noticing and latched the door behind her so that no one else could come in. Why on earth hadn't they done that already? Inside, Mrs. Beaver was scuttling around packing a number of small bundles with food and the like. The older of the two girls was helping.

"Do you think we'll need jam?" She asked.

"Only if the Witch serves toast." Kloi replied coolly, announcing her presence.

While the humans looked terrified, the beavers were clearly relieved.

"Princess Kloi!"

"Drop the title, please. I'm no more Princess than my mother is Queen. Now, if you want to get out of here alive, I suggest you get moving. Edmund is in the castle, and I'll do what I can for him. I came to warn you, but evidently you've already guessed that you're in danger. I have to get out of here quickly, before the wolves get here. And I can't leave my scent. Edmund will need me, if he wants to get out alive. Say hi to Orieus for me, should you happen to see him."

Mrs. Beaver nodded.

Kloi turned to go, then paused and glanced at the humans. "I will do everything I can for your brother."

Then she was gone, back to her mother's icy fortress.


	2. Chapter 2

It was early the next morning that Kloi came out to the courtyard and saw a new stone statue. It was a faun, face frozen in a cry of agony. Tumnus. She glanced across the courtyard and saw her mother standing beside the sled, waiting. For a moment, she couldn't hide the hate in her eyes. Fortunately, Jadis wasn't watching her just then. The Witch's eyes were fastened on Edmund. Ginnibrik, a dwarf in Jadis's service had brought him up from the dungeons. They had paused for a moment as Edmund stared in horror at the statue that had once been Tumnus.

"When you're ready, son of Adam." The Witch said coolly.

Ginnibrik shoved him forward. He moved slowly, still staring at Tumnus. Kloi crossed the courtyard, her hate carefully hidden again.

"Ready to go, darling?" Jadis asked upon seeing her.

"I am ready, mother."

She stepped into the sled and settled on the seat beside her mother, who wrapped her furs around her daughter. The gesture was almost affectionate – but Kloi knew that her mother didn't love her. She only pretended to.

Edmund was forced to sit at their feet.

They set off. Kloi studiously ignored the boy, while Jadis occasionally glanced down at him smugly. As they traveled, the weather became steadily warmer, and the sled began to have problems in the melting snow. Soon the reindeer were struggling to drag it through mud and grass. The snow was all-but gone – the only white spots left were in shadowy corners, sheltered from the sun by the leafy branches of trees.

Jadis was… not pleased. When they finally reached the river, they left the sled. Jadis stared at the tumbling water-fall in dismay and disgust. Behind her mother's back, Kloi smirked.

Aslan's magic and the hope brought by the four children was already weakening the Witch's magic and healing the land. Somehow, Jadis had found out that Aslan was in Narnia – Kloi wasn't sure how. Perhaps she had _persuaded_ the information out of Edmund. If he had said something… Kloi couldn't really blame him. Her mother was brutal and sadistic.

"It's so… warm out." Ginnibrik complained, about to take off his heavy coat.

Jadis turned and glared at him, and he paled, fixing his coat again.

"I'll go – check the sleigh."

Edmund's mouth twisted into an odd shape as he tried not to laugh at the dwarf. Kloi sent him a warning look, but he didn't see it. At least her mother hadn't seen his amusement.

"Your majesty!"

The trio whirled to see Maugrim and his wolves. One of the wolves held in his mouth a little red fox. Kloi paled slightly, but forced herself to not respond. She knew the fox – he was one of Aslan's main messengers. He was the one who usually carried information back and forth between spies (including Kloi) and the Stone Table, where Aslan had set up his main camp.

The fox glanced at her, but knew that she could do nothing. He focused his gaze on Edmund.

"We found the traitor. He was rallying your enemies in the Shuddering Wood." Maugrim announced.

The wolf holding the fox threw it onto the ground in front of the Witch. It grunted in pain, and carefully stood up.

"Ah. Nice of you to drop in." The Witch said, making her voice light and cheerful. "You were so helpful to my wolves last night. Perhaps you can help me now." Her voice grew dark and dangerous, and her eyes narrowed.

The fox hung his head. "Forgive me, your majesty."

Kloi was surprised. It wasn't like her little friend to act like this. He was a defiant little fox, Kloi had fully expected him to stand tall and say loudly that he would never help such a horrid witch.

"Oh, don't waste my time with flattery." The Witch scoffed.

"Not to seem rude – but I wasn't actually talking to you." He looked directly at Edmund, making his point obvious.

Now _that_ was more like what Kloi had expected.

Jadis looked from the fox to Edmund, then glared at the fox and pointed her wand straight at it. "Where are the humans headed?"

The fox just stood there, a defiant look on its face. Jadis moved her wand back to shoot her magic at the fox, but Edmund jumped in the way.

"No! Wait! The beavers said something about the stone table, and that Aslan had an army there!"

Jadis paused, and raised an eyebrow. "An army?"

Edmund stepped back, conflicted. It was obvious that he knew he shouldn't have said anything – or at least shouldn't have said so much. But… It was also clear that he didn't know what else to do to save the fox. Kloi felt nothing but sympathy for him – he knew what the Witch could do; he'd seen it before, with Tumnus. He couldn't bear to stand there and not do anything. Which was exactly what Kloi had to do. She forced herself to stay still.

"Thank you, Edmund." The Witch said softly, then continued, her voice growing harsher and colder with each word. "Well, I'm glad this creature go to see some honesty – before he died!" With her last words she froze the fox, turning him into a stone statue.

"NO!" Edmund cried.

Jadis turned on him, and slapped his face with enough force to send him to the ground. How he managed to stay mostly upright was beyond Kloi. Jadis then grabbed his chin and forced him to look at her.

"Think about whose side you are on, Edmund. Mine – or theirs!"

She then stalked away, leaving Edmund staring at the stone fox with tears in his eyes. He glanced away when he heard her voice again. He was glad to see that she wasn't talking to him – she was talking to her wolves. His relief was short-lived when he heard her words.

"Go then. Gather the faithful. If it is a war Aslan wants, then a war he shall get."

Kloi didn't know what to do. This – this was the perfect moment to get Edmund out of here. She could get him across the river easily, and then they would be safe until they reached Aslan's camp. But – if she took him and ran, her mother would definitely figure out where her true loyalties lay… And then she wouldn't be able to send Aslan any more information. She hesitated.

While she was lost in thought, Jadis told her to bring Edmund and follow her. When Kloi didn't respond, she glanced over her shoulder and tried again.

"Kloi!"

Said girl jerked out of her thoughts. "What? Forgive me, mother. Did you speak to me?"

"Yes, I did." Jadis's eyes showed her displeasure. "Bring the prisoner."

Kloi made her decision. Her mother would certainly kill Edmund now that she knew where Aslan was. She had to get the human boy out of there before Jadis could harm him.

"Very well, mother. I shall take charge of the son of Adam. Come here, Edmund."

Her mother raised an eyebrow, as Kloi's words were slightly odd. Edmund shuffled over to the girl, wondering what was going on and afraid of punishment if he disobeyed.

Kloi looked at the woman who had birthed and raised her. "Goodbye, Jadis."

"Kloi, what – "

She was cut off as Kloi grabbed Edmund's arm and pulled him over the edge of the ravine in which the river lay. He let a rather girlish shriek escape him before he clamped his mouth shut.

"KLOI!" Jadis shouted, understanding and rage flooding her features. "GET THEM!" She screamed at her wolves.

Kloi and Edmund fell into the river. Once they were underwater, Kloi pulled him close beside her and teleported them to the outskirts of the forest surrounding the camp. She would have brought him straight to the camp, but she knew how teleporting was the first couple times, especially for non-magical beings. She wanted to give Edmund a while to pull himself together before he was the center of attention.

He collapsed the moment she let go of his arm. Kloi dropped down on the ground beside him, and gently cradled his head on her lap.

"There, it's alright." She murmured softly.

He was staring vacantly straight up, gasping for air as though he'd just been saved from drowning, and didn't seem to hear her words, let alone register them.

She gently ran her fingers through his hair, and then gently kissed his forehead. It didn't seem strange to her. Though she looked only a few years older than Edmund, she was actually several hundred years old.

Jadis had forced her to eat one of the apples from the Garden, giving her immortality. Her body had stopped aging at about eighteen years old. As long as she was in this form, she would never age. She wasn't easily hurt, and wouldn't be easily killed either.

Kloi hummed softly, still trying to help Edmund. Teleporting disoriented first timers, and often left them feeling sick. For those without magic of their own, it would do far more. If the distance traveled was far enough, it could knock the person unconscious – or even kill them! This distance was fairly short, so it didn't actually harm Edmund. But it would be a while before his system recovered.

After an hour, Kloi deemed him fit to travel. He had regained his senses after fifteen minutes or so, but was still weak and dazed. By the time that they set out for Aslan's camp the sun was beginning to fall. A wolf ran past, its tail tucked between its legs. It didn't even glance at them.

Kloi tensed, and shoved Edmund behind her. She didn't know what the wolf was running from, and she wasn't taking any chances – not while she had one-fourth of Narnia's only hope with her.

When the column of Narnians came thundering toward them, however, she relaxed.

"Orieus! Hey Orieus!"

The centaur leading the charge slowed slightly and saw them. Instantly he gave some sort of signal, and all the Narnians stopped.

"Kloi?"

"Hey. I have someone here you lot might be glad to see… And hopefully his siblings will be glad as well."

Orieus sized Edmund up, then gave said sharply over his shoulder, "Forget the wolf. He is nothing. The son of Adam must be taken to Aslan."

"We teleported very recently. You know personally the affect that can have on a non-magical being, Orieus. He is doing very well, considering the distance we traveled, but is yet unstable."

Orieus nodded and motioned to two of the fauns. "Help him. We will go slowly." Then he turned back to Kloi. "Mrs. Beaver gave me your message."

"Oh, good." She smiled up at him. "I have missed you, my friend."

He simply smiled in response, and offered her his hand. She shook her head.

"I can't justify riding while Edmund walks."

Orieus nodded, but did not offer to carry Edmund. It was clear to Kloi, who knew him well, that Orieus did not think much of the human – probably because he had betrayed his family. Orieus was loyal to the death, loyal almost to a fault. That someone could do something like Edmund had was beyond the scope of his understanding. And a person who did such a thing was beyond his forgiveness.

They made their slow way back to the camp. Orieus and Kloi talked softly the whole way.


	3. Chapter 3

**Yeah, so I keep forgetting my disclaimer... Anything recognizable doesn't belong to me! I don't own Narnia or Avengers (sniff). But Kloi and my ideas are mine - and may not be used without my express permission. There, that's over. Carry on, loves!**

The next morning, Kloi watched from a distance as Edmund was reunited with his family. She sighed softly, longing for her brother. Perhaps the worlds would soon be aligned so that she could speak with him.

She felt a presence behind her and smiled.

"Aslan."

"Kloi." The lion returned kindly. "You miss him, don't you."

"It's been so long…" She murmured softly. "We were only five. I barely remember what he looked like. I wouldn't really have a clue, except that we always looked so alike. And I haven't been able to speak with him in years… Aslan, how is he doing? I know that you know."

Aslan smiled. "The part he plays is hard for him. But he is doing well. He misses you as well, Kloi. You two had a special relationship, and that will continue when you meet again."

"Well, you know. Twins are supposed to be close, right?" Kloi joked half-heartedly.

"Tell me, child. It will help. Tell me your pain."

Kloi sighed, and felt tears gather in her eyes.

"I just… I can't believe that Jadis would do something like that! To a child, her own flesh and blood! Can she truly be so completely heartless?" Kloi sighed. "He was only five… How could she do that to him? She just sent him off – just like that – without even caring where he ended up!"

Aslan said nothing, only listened.

"And then she thinks that she can just order me around all my life, make me her perfect little doll – her brainless little… little… slave! Turn me into whatever she wants me to be… Well I'm not like her, and I never will be! I am my own person, with my own choices, and I choose to follow YOU, not her. YOU are the king, and I will fight for you Aslan."

She sighed. "Honestly, I am relieved. It has been so difficult to play that part, so hard to pretend that I love her. So hard to just serve her as if I'm serving her blindly. To be able to be myself, to show my true loyalties… It feels so wonderful!"

Aslan smiled gently.

"But Qillaq – Aslan, is there any way that you can send me to him? Or at least let me speak to him? I miss him so terribly!" (Kill-ack)

Aslan smiled again, gently. "Do you desire to see him so much that you would be willing to leave all you have ever known, and never return? Would you be prepared to go to his world, and stay there with him for the rest of your long life?"

Kloi thought only for a moment before giving him her answer. "Yes, Aslan. I don't care where I have to go, or what I must go through. If I could be with my brother for the rest of my life – I would join him in his fight, in his disguise, everything! I would do whatever I must, as long as it was right."

Aslan nodded with another smile. "I know. I have always known. Kloi, your heart is good. You have been given great power, and you must use it for great good. Your time here in Narnia is almost done – for now at least. When Jadis dies, you will leave this world."

Kloi brightened. "I will go to join Qillaq?"

"Not immediately. But you will join him. You will know when the time comes."

The girl threw her arms about the lion's neck.

"Oh, thank you, Aslan. _Thank you_!"

He chuckled softly. "You do not know what waits ahead for you, child." He gazed at her sadly. "You will not see me again before you leave Narnia, save from a distance – so I will give you my advice now. You will meet many people. The first man that you meet, you must trust. He will help you until it is time for you to rejoin your brother."

Kloi nodded.

"His friends may also be trusted – though some of them may not seem trustworthy at first. Only one must not be trusted – the first woman you meet. But you must not show your distrust to her. Qillaq will explain when you see him."

Kloi nodded again. Aslan rubbed her forehead against her, and gently licked her cheek. She smiled at the gesture of affection from the great lion and gently kissed his cheek in return.

"Thank you, Aslan. I will do as you say."

He smiled at her joy, and watched her skip down the hill.

"Ah, darling girl. You have no idea what waits ahead for you."

Aslan shook his mane, and turned away from the edge of the hill. He knew exactly what was going to happen to Kloi and her brother. Their road would not be an easy one, but he knew that they would come out the other side the better for the things they had gone through.

Kloi was not surprised when her mother showed up at Aslan's camp. She stood with the humans, glaring at Jadis. When Jadis gave her a scathing glance, she shifted a little closer to Edmund. She felt rather protective of him, more so than the others. Perhaps that was because she had seen what he had been through, and knew that he was likely to have the worst consequences for his actions. The fact that she was more inclined to protect him might also have something to do with the fact that his siblings – the older two at least – were afraid of her and didn't trust her. To them, she was the Witch's daughter. It seemed like that was all they could see.

"You have traitors in your midst, Aslan." Jadis sneered.

"Kloi is no traitor." Aslan returned calmly. "She has been my servant since she was old enough to distinguish between right and wrong. As for the boy – his offense was not against you."

Jadis glared at Kloi again, then looked back at Aslan. "Have you forgotten the laws upon which Narnia was built." It was not phrased like a question.

Aslan growled. "Do not cite the deep magic to me, Witch. I was there when it was written."

Jadis looked startled for a moment, but quickly regained her composure. "Then you will remember well that every traitor belongs to me. His blood is my property."

Peter – the other son of Adam, Edmund's brother – drew his sword. "Try and take him then!" He challenged, angry and afraid.

Kloi caught his arm, and whispered in his ear. "Put it down. That will do us no good. Wait and see what Aslan says."

Jadis looked at the boy with disdain. "Do you really think that mere force will deny me my right, little king?" She mocked. "Aslan knows that unless I have blood, as the law demands, all of Narnia will be overturned and perish in fire and water. That boy will die – on the Stone Table – as is tradition."

She looked triumphant and stared at Aslan. "You dare not refuse me."

"Enough." Aslan returned. "I will talk with you alone."

The two made their way into Aslan's tent. They were in there for a very long time.

"What do you think is happening?" Edmund whispered to her, his voice full of fear.

Kloi laid a hand on his arm reassuringly. "Aslan will not let her hurt you."

"But you heard what she said! If she doesn't kill me, Narnia will perish!"

Kloi raised an eyebrow. "And if she does kill you, what then? We need all _four_ of you if we are to throw her off. But that is not why Aslan won't let her harm you – he cares about you. Try not to worry, Ed. He has a plan."

Edmund just looked at her. "Do you know what it is?"

Kloi nodded. "He didn't tell me, exactly… But I know what will satisfy Jadis. I lived with her for a great many years, let's not forget. I know the workings of the deep magic, I know my mother's nature, and I know Aslan's nature. I believe that I have a pretty good idea of what is going on in that tent."

"Do enlighten us." Peter muttered, venom in his tone.

"I think I'd better not." She returned politely. "Aslan wouldn't wish it. But you don't have to worry. Edmund will be safe. It's not Edmund she wants, anyway – not really."

"She wants you." Edmund whispered. "She'll never forgive you for siding with Aslan."

Kloi shrugged. "True enough. But I don't want her forgiveness. _I_ will never forgive _her_ for the things she has done to me, and to my brother."

"You have a brother?" Lucy sounded genuinely interested. She didn't seem to think that Kloi was the monster that her older siblings saw when they looked at her.

"Yes. We are twins. But he is not in Narnia. Jadis didn't want a son. She has always thought men stupid and weak. She wanted a daughter to be exactly like her. So she sent him away to another world with a spell, not caring if he even survived. We were five. I haven't seen him since."

"Is… Is he alive?" Lucy asked softly.

"Yes. He survived, and has been doing things much like I have – working behind the scenes to destroy people like Jadis. Playing a part, acting as though he is something he is not. I have spoken with him several times, when the worlds are arranged just so. But we have not been able to speak in almost fifty years."

"Fifty years?" Lucy asked curiously. "How old _are_ you?"

"Almost three thousand."

All four of them gaped at her. She sighed. "I'm immortal. I became immortal when I was eighteen, so I look eighteen. I don't age."

"And I thought you were Peter's age." Edmund muttered.

Before Kloi could reply, Jadis appeared, stalking out of the tent. She glared at him, and then at Kloi. Then she stalked proudly down toward her litter – she had been carried into camp on an evil-looking black litter carried by four Cyclops.

Aslan looked at Edmund for a moment, sadly, and then proclaimed, "She has renounced her claim on the son of Adam's blood."

The camp erupted in cheers, and Edmund's siblings piled onto him in a boisterous hug. Kloi didn't react, only watched Aslan. She knew that her mother would accept only one sacrifice in exchange for Edmund. Aslan would give his own life to save the human boy. She knew it as surely as she knew that she was breathing.

"How do I know that your promise will be kept?" Jadis asked smugly, but with venom in her voice.

Aslan roared fiercely. Jadis abruptly sat down in her litter. The camp burst into laughter and cheering. Kloi frowned.

"Fools." She murmured under her breath. "Don't they understand? This isn't the end, it's only the beginning! Do they really think that she would give up so easily?"

Fortunately, no one heard her. She stared at Aslan, who was looking at the ground with an expression of mixed pain and grief on his face. He glanced up, saw Lucy watching him, and gave her a half-smile. Then he turned to go back into his tent. Kloi wondered how much Lucy understood. Not much, evidently, because she was soon laughing happily with a group of dwarves. Kloi followed the lion to his tent.

"Aslan?" She called softly.

A sort of purring sound from within bade her enter. She stooped and pushed through the flaps of fabric that blocked it from the rest of the world.

"Kloi."

"Are you really going to…"

"Yes."

Kloi didn't say anything for a long moment. When she finally did speak, it was to ask a timid question. "Aslan, do I understand the deep magic correctly? Jadis thinks that if she kills you, that will be the end. But – I don't think she's right. I think she misunderstands what a sacrifice is."

Aslan bowed his head. "You will not know, dear one. Not until it is done."

"Aslan, please! I must know!" She begged. Three-thousand years old or not, she still felt and acted very much like an eighteen-year-old sometimes.

Aslan fixed her with a stern look. "It is not for you to know, Kloi. Trust me, dear one. Go back to the others now. They will need your help tomorrow, in the battle."

Kloi nodded numbly, stung by the gentle rebuke. Silently, she turned and made her way out of the tent.


	4. Chapter 4

** I updated! Rejoice! :P Hope you guys like this chapter!**

** Special thanks to Thalion Estel, who has faithfully review each chapter so far. Your input means so much to me!**

Edmund entered her tent. Kloi could see that he was pale, and shaken. The girls had sent word then. Aslan was dead.

Kloi had known when Susan and Lucy left the tent. She had debated following them, but knew that her place was in the camp. She had been lying awake all night, even before the girls left. Knowing what was coming, how could she sleep?

"Kloi?" Edmund said softly, coming to her bed to shake her awake. He was surprised when she sat up before he reached her.

"It is done?" She asked softly. "Is he gone?"

Edmund stared at her in the dimness of the tent. "You knew?"

Kloi flopped back down and stared at the ceiling. "I knew."

"Why didn't you stop him?"

Kloi raised her head and looked at him. "There was no other way, Edmund. His life was the only one Jadis would ever take in exchange for yours. I'd have gone, if she'd have taken me instead. But the only one she would accept was him."

"He should have let her have me." Edmund's voice was low and raw with grief and guilt.

Kloi sat up and grasped his shoulders tightly. "No, Edmund. We need you. All four of you. There must be four – _four_. Two daughters of Eve, and _two_ sons of Adam. Without you, we could never hope to be rid of her."

Edmund bowed his head. "And without Aslan – what hope do we have?" He whispered.

Kloi sighed. "He would not have gone if there was no hope. I do not know what hope there is, Edmund, but I know that there _is_ hope."

"At least we have you with us." He replied, trying to be optimistic. "If anyone can challenge Jadis, it's you. And you have magic too, right?"

Kloi smiled slightly. "Yes, you have me. And I do have magic. I'm not sure how much help one magic-wielder can be – but better that I'm with you than that I'm against you, no matter what your siblings think. Now let's go. I'm sure Peter didn't send you in here to have a long heart-to-heart with the Witch's daughter."

"He's arrogant and stupid." Edmund said suddenly, just before they exited the tent. "To suspect you, I mean."

"He didn't see everything that you saw, Edmund. All he knows is that I'm the daughter of the person who is trying to kill his family. That's enough to make any protective older brother suspicious."

"He should trust me, though. I told him that's not what you are. I told him – "

"You have learned a great deal while you have been here. Haven't you?"

"Yes."

"So has Peter. Are you done learning now, just because you've learned some things?"

"…No."

"Neither is Peter. I would rather that he didn't suspect me, but I am not angry or hurt that he does. It is enough – be content. You trust me, and for that I thank you. Peter will come around, I think. Lucy already has, and I believe that Susan is working on it. I am content with that. Don't take up an offense on my behalf."

Edmund sighed, and fell silent. Kloi frowned, and spoke again.

"Thank you for caring, Edmund. It means a great deal to me."

His face was graced with the ghost of a smile, then he became sober again. He seemed to be deep in thought. "Kloi?"

"Yes?"

"Does… Did Jadis ever love you?"

Kloi sighed and felt tears come to her eyes. She had always longed for the love of a mother and/or father – something that she felt she'd never have.

"No." She'd answered softly.

Edmund hugged her gently. "It's strange." He said quietly. "I've only known you for a few days, and one of those days you were pretending to be my captor – but I feel like you are my third sister."

Kloi felt herself laugh, and was surprised that she was able to do so just now. "If I'm your sister, am I allowed to call you "Ed" like the others do?"

"Sure." He grinned at having cheered her up some.

Her eyes twinkled, and she got a very mischievous look on her face. "Can I call you Eddie?"

Edmund sighed. "If you want."

She giggled and kissed his cheek. "Alright then, Eddie it is." Her smile was bright and teasing. "I wonder how Qillaq would feel about my having another brother." She muttered to herself, but she knew that he wouldn't mind as long as she was happy.

Edmund rolled his eyes and they went out. Peter was waiting impatiently, and raised an eyebrow at his brother. Evidently he wasn't happy that they had taken so long. Edmund ignored his irritation, and Kloi did as well.

The next hours were spent with making battle plans and other preparations. Kloi didn't have a moment to herself until just before sunrise, when she was putting on her armor and weapons. Jadis had always insisted that Kloi be every inch the perfect "lady". Kloi preferred her loose pants and graceful tops, but Jadis usually made her wear form-fitting, revealing dresses.

The armor that Aslan provided for her was definitely not something Jadis would be happy with. Leather pants were strengthened with metal plates on her shins and thighs and were tucked into sturdy boots. Over this she wore a soft tunic for comfort's sake, and over that a leather tunic. To top it all off, she wore a mail shirt – though the mail only reached to her elbows. She had her usual weapons as well. Her sword hung on her right hip – she was left handed – and her axe on her left. She had a dagger in each boot, and one strapped to each forearm. Two more were stuck into the tight bun she had put her hair in. On her back she had two long knives, strapped in an X so that they were easily reachable. A leather strap was placed diagonally across her chest, on it were about ten tiny knives in their respective sheaths. These were obviously for throwing.

Kloi gave her bow a look, but decided against taking it. It and her quiver belonged on her back, so it was hard to carry both her bow and her knives. Since Narnia had many good archers and she would mostly be engaging in close combat, she decided that she would need the knives more.

By the time she was geared up, the troops were ready. Kloi made sure that her crystal was secure on its chain about her neck, and slipped out of her tent. Edmund glanced at her as she stood beside him, and gave her a small, nervous smile.

"You'll be fine." She whispered softly, her words meant for his ears only.

He smiled nervously again, and muttered, "Hope so."

Peter glanced at Kloi, but there was no warmth in his eyes. Evidently he was still suspicious of her. She suppressed a sigh, and stayed beside Edmund as the army began to move.

An hour later, everyone was in position. Kloi stood on the ridge beside Edmund – she had refused to leave his side – and watched as the griffon scout they had sent out returned and gave its report to Peter. Moments later, the Witch's army came in sight. Kloi tensed as her mother appeared on top of a small hill, in a chariot-type thing pulled by polar bears.

Edmund glanced at her. "Polar bears?"

Kloi rolled her eyes and nodded. "What can I say? She has a flair for the dramatic. Plus, they won't let a thing near her, so she's as safe as can be – even in the middle of a battle."

Edmund made a wry face.

"We'll get her though." Kloi murmured.

He grinned suddenly. "Of course. We've got you with us, don't we? You know everything about her and how she works. If anyone can take her down, it's you."

Kloi sighed suddenly. "I… I don't want to, Edmund. All I ever wanted was to have a family. I want her to be a real mother, to love me. But she sent my brother away, and all I've ever been to her is a well-trained slave…"

Edmund took her hand. "You have family." He whispered. "You have your brother, and you have me. Your adopted brother. We are a family, Kloi. We both love you, Qillaq and I. If you need to kill her, you will find the strength."

She flashed him a grateful smile, but said softly, "The only way I could harm her is if she tries to hurt you again."

Edmund was clearly startled, but didn't get the chance to comment. Peter signaled the charge, and the battle began.

It was a long and grueling fight. The Narnians, despite their fewer numbers, held up well against the waves of evil creatures that they faced, but it was only a matter of time until they could fight no more. They were vastly outnumbered and quickly losing strength, but their enemies kept sending in fresh fighters. To top it all off, the Narnians' main general, Orieus, was turned to stone by the Witch, and she was now making the rounds and turning to stone ever Narnian in her path. The outcome of the battle seemed certain.

That was when Peter turned and caught Edmund's eye. "Edmund – there's too many! Get out of here! Get the girls, and get them home!"

Edmund nodded sharply once, and Mr. Beaver showed up. He pulled Edmund away and cried, "You heard him, let's go!"

Kloi met his eyes, but said nothing. She couldn't ask him to stay when his family was in danger, but she knew that without all four Pevensies Narnia would never be freed. Edmund seemed to see her thoughts in her eyes. He hesitated, then his gaze moved past her to something behind her – end his eyes widened. He jerked away from the well-meaning beaver.

"Peter said get out!" Mr. Beaver objected.

"Peter's not king yet!" Edmund retorted, and ran down the hill past Kloi with a yell. She turned in time to see him jump off a ledge above Jadis, swinging at her wildly.

Jadis pulled out of the way with a sadistic gleam in her eye. Now was her chance to finish off the Son of Adam.

"Edmund!" Kloi cried.

As Jadis thrust her wand forward to turn him to stone, Edmund moved back and out of the way. He brought his sword down hard, shattering the wand. Kloi gaped at the flash of blue magic that blew from her mother's wand all over the battlefield. Without her wand, Jadis couldn't do any magic! Edmund must have remembered her telling him about the magical constraints of her kind.

Jadis stared at her broken wand for the briefest of moments, then glared at Edmund with such hatred that it made Kloi's blood run cold. Before the boy could move, she smashed his sword aside with her own and then stabbed him with the sharp broken end of her wand.

"EDMUND!" Kloi screamed.

At the sound, Peter swung around – just in time to see his little brother crumple to the ground. Jadis calmly stalked past the fallen boy and picked up his sword. She directed her attention to Peter, waiting for him to fight her. It was clear that she knew he would.

Peter stabbed the minotaur he had been fighting and stumbled forward, his rage making it hard for him to think clearly. Kloi leapt from the ledge she was standing on, free-falling to the grassy stretch on which Edmund lay. At the last second, she closed her eyes and teleported.

The Witch stared for a moment as her daughter disappeared, only to appear beside the fallen Son of Adam. She realized that Kloi had been hiding her true magical abilities, and that made her furious. It also gave Peter a moment to attack in which Jadis was distracted. Without that moment, he probably would have fallen dead under her first stroke.

Kloi ignored the fight behind her as she slumped over Edmund, weeping.

"Nononono – stay here, stay with me. Edmund!"

He stared up at her, eyes wide with pain. His breath came in shallow gasps, and Kloi could hear the faint gurgling of blood in his throat. He wouldn't last long.

"Kloi…"

"Sh, it'll be alright." She whispered, tears threatening to fall.

"Peter…" He gasped for breath.

"You shouldn't talk."

"Don't let her… Peter. Please – for me!"

Kloi stared at him, then glanced over her shoulder. She looked back at her friend brother, and nodded slightly.

"I wish I could heal you, but I don't have that kind of power." She whispered. Closing her eyes, she sent as much healing magic as she could through his body. He would last a few more minutes. "I won't let her hurt Peter."

She held back her tears and gently kissed his forehead. Then she stood and turned to the fight between the woman she had once called mother, and the Son of Adam whose life was necessary to end her reign.

She was not a moment too soon. Her mother managed to disarm Peter, and pin him to the ground with a sword through his sleeve. The next blow knocked his shield from his arm, and he lay before her, ready to die. Jadis brought her blade down.

Peter shut his eyes, fully expecting pain to erupt in his chest. Instead, he heard the ringing of metal on metal. He opened his eyes to see Jadis's sword caught on Kloi's.

Jadis pulled back and glared at her daughter.

"You."

"Yes, me." Kloi sneered back. "I will not let you kill him. You took Qillaq away from me – you took Edmund away from me – I will not let you have this one too!"

"Your brother was weak, as you are weak." Jadis returned. "As for the Son of Adam you care about – he is nothing less than pathetic."

Kloi let out an angry scream and her hand flashed. One of her throwing knives flew right past the Witch's head. If Jadis hadn't ducked, she would have died right then.

"All I ever wanted was for you to love me!" Kloi cried, engaging her mother with her blade.

"Then you are as pathetic as him." Jadis spat.

Kloi was shaking with rage, but forced herself to calm down. She knew better than to fight angry – especially when fighting her mother. She continued speaking as if Jadis had never interrupted.

"But you never did. Edmund, however – Edmund is like my brother! He IS my brother, now! And you have killed him! Do you exist only to deprive others of all joy?"

Jadis laughed evilly. "Do you think that I care? Why should I care that you love the stupid boy?"

Kloi was very calm now, furious, but calm. "You have showed that you care nothing for me and never will. Why should you care? Because now there is nothing to stop me from killing you!"

She struck with the strength of her fury, but was careful not to overextend herself. She would not die at her mother's hand, not if she could help it. Dimly she was aware of Peter pulling himself to his feet and running to his brother's side. He cradled Edmund in his arms, whispering soothing words as he stared wide-eyed at the fighting witches.

Jadis and Kloi blocked and parried in a deadly sort of dance. They whirled around each other, constantly looking for an opening or weakness. A strong blow from Kloi sent both their swords flying, leaving Jadis defenseless. Kloi drew one of her knives and advanced on her mother with a murderous look on her face.

Jadis snarled and suddenly rushed forward. Before Kloi could process what was happening or make use of her knife, the Witch's hand closed around her crystal and tore the chain from her neck.

Kloi dropped to her knees with a scream. She was much younger than her mother, and her magic was not quite mature yet. To have the thing that gave her control suddenly torn from her left her in agony.

Jadis stood above her daughter with a look of victory on her face. She picked up the knife that Kloi had dropped and raised it to kill her daughter. To her surprise, ice covered her hands. Fear registered on her face when she realized what was happening.

Kloi's magic was not under her control anymore. It was lashing out, in its purest, rawest form, to protect its owner. Her kneeling form was surrounded by a swirling cloud of ice crystals and mist. Then… She vanished. The cloud disappeared, and so did the ice holding Jadis in place. She stood still a moment longer, and then seemed to shake it off in favor of killing Peter.

She turned and leapt toward him – and Aslan smashed into her from the side.


	5. Chapter 5

**I am sorry it has been this long since my last update! I plead school... And the general busyness of life...**

_Previously..._

_Jadis stood above her daughter with a look of victory on her face. She picked up the knife that Kloi had dropped and raised it to kill her daughter. To her surprise, ice covered her hands. Fear registered on her face when she realized what was happening._

_ Kloi's magic was not under her control anymore. It was lashing out, in its purest, rawest form, to protect its owner. Her kneeling form was surrounded by a swirling cloud of ice crystals and mist. Then… She vanished. The cloud disappeared, and so did the ice holding Jadis in place. She stood still a moment longer, and then seemed to shake it off in favor of killing Peter._

_ She turned and leapt toward him – and Aslan smashed into her from the side._

"Pepper!"

Said woman sighed before making her way to her boyfriend/employer's room.

"What is it, Tony?"

The billionaire was staring at himself in the mirror. His chin was raised and his face was scrunched up as he peered down his nose at the reflection before him. He was trying – in vain – to tie his tie. When he saw her reflection in the mirror, he gave her a pitiful look.

Pepper sighed. "Honestly, Tony. How do you not know how to… Oh, give it here."

He gave her a thankful look when it was properly tied.

"For someone with your IQ, you are incredibly incompetent." Pepper stated blandly.

"But you love me anyway!" Tony grinned.

Pepper rolled her eyes and glanced at the clock. " – And you are half an hour late."

He followed her gaze and cursed softly. "Damn, you noticed."

"Anthony Edward Stark!"

Tony cringed when she used his full name. He knew every word of the lecture he was about to receive. Ten minutes later, Pepper was finally done ripping a strip off of her boyfriend. He was staring glumly at the floor, and nodding at the appropriate times. When she finished her rant, he finally met her eyes.

"Can I go now?"

He dodged as she attempted to hit his arm. She sighed in defeat and nodded.

"Get a move on. Now you're forty minutes late."

Tony raised an eyebrow and grinned. "And whose fault is that?"

Pepper ignored him, and he should have taken that as his cue to leave. Of course, he was the idiot billionaire who couldn't take a hint.

"You know, I could cut travel time in half if I took my suit – "

"Tony, get out of this house before I throw you out!"

"It's my house!"

She glared at him, and he finally had the sense to leave well enough alone. Grumbling (very maturely, of course) he made his way down to the garage and into one of his many cars… Pepper sighed when she heard the huge automatic garage door close. He was finally gone, and would only be about forty-five minutes late for his meeting by the time he got there, due to his speeding. She was actually quite proud of herself – that was a new record. He was usually much later than that!

The door to the garage slammed suddenly. Great, he was back.

"Anth – "

"Pepper!" His shout cut her off.

"What?" She returned in the same tone, and made her way into the living room, where his voice was coming from. She opened her mouth to begin scolding him again, but cut herself off with a noise that sounded dangerously close to a screech.

"Anthony – what did you do?!"

"I didn't do anything." He snapped, carefully laying the girl in his arms on the couch. "She was lying there, in the middle of the driveway…"

"Like this?" Pepper gasped, staring at the bruises and cuts that covered her arms.

"I think she's bleeding from her back…" Tony murmured, looking at the blood on his arms.

Pepper didn't know what to do. It was something that Tony would never let her live down, of course – the strict secretary had the proper response for every situation. But now she was just standing beside the couch, gaping at the girl. Her mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. It actually made her look rather like a fish – not that Tony noticed.

"Call Bruce." He ordered, taking charge. "On second thought – don't do that just yet. Get the first aid kit in the kitchen."

When he saw that his girlfriend was still frozen in shock, Tony sighed and resorted to using Jarvis. Pepper quickly shook it off and helped him doctor up the girl's scrapes. The wound that Tony had thought was on her back was actually on her side, but it wasn't bad. They didn't end up calling Bruce, or anyone else for that matter.

The girl was unconscious for only a few minutes after they finished doctoring her up. The couple was not paying attention to her at the moment she woke up – Pepper was calling to cancel his meeting because of "an emergency" and Tony was bugging her.

The girl opened her eyes, confusion on her face. When she saw her surroundings, she only got more confused.

"Where am I?"

The bickering couple whirled around. Pepper gaped again, her facial expression priceless. It would be safe to say that Tony thought it was hilarious, and the girl did not.

"Where am I?" She demanded again, fear and anger evident in her voice. The temperature of the room grew noticeably colder.

Kloi didn't know where she was, or what was going on. It didn't help that the woman was staring at her as if she had a second head, and the man was chortling at his friend's expression.

"Where am I?" She demanded again, more forcefully.

The woman seemed to snap out of it, and glared at the man – who was still laughing.

"Anthony Edward Stark!"

That shut him up. Evidently he knew he was in trouble, and he decided to try and save his neck by answering the question.

"In my living room." He said it like she should know who he was, like he was some sort of big deal. Well, she could burst that little bubble.

She raised an eyebrow. His face was priceless when he realized she had no clue who he was. He stared at her for a moment, before the woman whacked him.

"What?"

"Are you going to stand there gaping, or are you going to answer her?"

"I just did!"

"Tony!"

Kloi sighed in frustration, and sat up. Instantly she cringed in pain, though she instinctively tried to hide it.

"You probably shouldn't be moving too much." The man informed her in a rather off-hand manner. "You got yourself pretty beat up. Speaking of which, I am waiting to hear why exactly I found you in the middle of my driveway?"

Kloi wasn't listening. She was struggling to hide her pain. Obviously the strange pair in front of her had doctored up her scrapes, but they evidently hadn't realized that she had a couple broken ribs – little mementos of her fight with her mother. She felt the pain increase with each breath she took, and then it suddenly numbed. Her eyes widened as she realized that it was her magic, healing her.

And then she remembered that she didn't have her crystal. She wouldn't be able to control it! That thought sent her into a panic, and what little control she might have had vanished. The couch around her began to ice over, and the man suddenly cut himself off.

"What – what – !"

Kloi gasped for breath as her magic spiraled further out of control, icing over everything in the room. Fortunately, it didn't touch the couple – Kloi wasn't sure why, but she wasn't about to jinx it by wondering.

"Calm down." She muttered to herself. "I need to calm down. Calm yourself, Kloi. Calm…"

"Are you doing that?!" The man yelped, staring at his living room.

"YES! SHUT UP!" Kloi snapped, still trying to calm down.

The woman was staring again, but this time at the ice everywhere. Even Kloi's sharp tone didn't snap her out of it.

The man slowly shuffled over to where Kloi was still muttering at herself, trying to calm down. He awkwardly set a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, it's ok. Nobody's going to hurt you, kid."

In spite of the flare of annoyance at being called a kid, Kloi felt herself begin to calm at his touch. Aslan's mane – how did he do that? Suddenly she remembered what Aslan had said… She was to trust the first man she met when she left Narnia, but not the first woman.

Her eyes darted between the two as the ice began to recede. The woman was still staring at the ice on the floor, but the man was gazing straight into her eyes. His gaze was confused and thoughtful.

"What is this place called?" She asked quietly, jolting both of them out of their respective dazes.

"Malibu…" The man answered slowly.

"Malibu?" She paused. "What world is this?"

"I – beg your pardon?" The woman stammered.

Kloi frowned, but the man answered before she had a chance to say anything else.

"Earth." He said, matter-of-factly. Seeing no flash of recognition in her face, he tried again. "Maybe you call it Midgard?"

Kloi shook her head. "No. I have no knowledge of this world. It is as Aslan said – I must wait here until I can rejoin my brother." A shadow passed over her face. "But I do not know how to find him without – " She cut herself off.

"Without what?"

"It does not matter." She would trust the man, as Aslan said to, but she wouldn't speak of her crystal – or lack thereof – in front of the woman she wasn't to trust.

"Clearly it does if – "

"It does not matter." She cut the man off. "Would you mind telling me your names?"

"Tony Stark." He said cockily, as if he was some sort of big deal. "And this is my lovely girlfriend Pepper. Mind returning the favor?"

"Princess Kloi of Narnia."

Pepper gaped at her again, but Tony just raised an eyebrow and sighed. "Another one? Please tell me you don't have a psychotic brother intent on ruling my world?!"

Kloi bristled. "My brother destroys tyrants! He would never become one!"

"Please don't pay my pet idiot any mind." Pepper said soothingly, eying the ice that was beginning to creep up Kloi's arms. "This world very recently went through a devastating war when a man from another world tried to take over and rule as the great tyrant. He destroyed a city, and many lives. Tony is part of the crew that helped to fight him off, and isn't eager for something like that to happen again."

Kloi didn't answer, but calmed down a little as Tony grumbled about being called an idiot. Pepper rolled her eyes at him and continued, "Try to ignore him when he's being stupid. He doesn't know when to shut up, but he usually means no harm."

Kloi smiled a little at Tony's protesting yelp.

"Believe me, I am very good at ignoring things I find irritating. I've done it for most of my life."

The two women shared a smug look before Kloi remembered what Aslan had said, and broke eye contact with a frown.

"So… Where is Narnia, and how did you end up in the middle of my driveway?" Tony asked, trying to break the sudden tension.

"Narnia is… I don't know. And I think that my power brought me to you, I couldn't control it after – " She cut herself off again. "I was injured because I was in the middle of a battle. And then my power brought me here to protect me from the one who wants me dead. But she cannot reach me now."

Tony looked at her suspiciously. "After what?"

"It does not matter."

"You keep saying that."

"And I will continue to say it." She changed the subject abruptly, a niggling suspicion in the back of her mind. "The man who recently attacked this world – what is his name?"

"Loki." Tony returned. His eyes were angry, but the anger was not directed at her. "Speaking of the wretch – are you Elsa or something? What's up with the ice stuff?"

"Tony!" Pepper reproved, then she added gently for Kloi's benefit, "You don't have to tell us anything you don't want to."

"No, it's fine. Aslan said that I could trust the first people I meet." Kloi tweaked the truth just a little. After all, the Lion _had_ said not to let them know that she didn't trust the woman.

"Oh, well, in that case…" Tony said expectantly.

"I can control water, ice, snow, and temperature." She left out her other powers. "At least, I can sort of control them. They are attached to my emotions and physical state – for example, when I am in pain, my powers are likely to lash out."

Tony raised his eyebrows. "You really are a little Elsa."

"I don't know what you mean. My name is Kloi. I am a witch."

"A what now?!"

Kloi sighed. This was going to be a long day…


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer, since I haven't done one for a while. Anything recognizable belongs to Marvel or C.S. Lewis. My own characters and ideas are - well - my own...**

Kloi had been living with Tony and Pepper for three months now. So far nothing had happened to cause her powers to lash out – a fact she was pathetically thankful for. Tony had become like the father she never had, in spite of his extreme immaturity. Pepper, on the other hand, seemed to be almost… Jealous of the witch's relationship with Tony. Or maybe it wasn't that… Kloi wasn't sure exactly what was wrong, but she knew that Aslan had been right. She could not trust the woman. It was odd, Pepper had been so kind in the beginning. But one day she seemed to take a dislike to Kloi, and she never got over it.

Tony taught Kloi everything about the world she was in. Well, maybe not everything – he taught her what he considered the "fun stuff", which mostly consisted of using advanced technology and hacking. The rest she found out online, after he taught her how to use a computer.

One day Kloi entered the main living room to find Tony crumpled in a heap on the couch, and Pepper storming over to the elevator.

"What – "

"Stay out of this!" Pepper hissed before the elevator doors opened. "I never want to see your face again!"

Kloi was taken aback, but quickly recovered. She wasn't stupid, and quickly figured out that Pepper had just broken up with Tony. Nobody had the right to hurt her billionaire like that!

"Get out." She responded coldly. Ice began to creep along the walls toward the red-head. "You are no longer welcome in this house."

Pepper sneered at her as the doors shut with a ding, cutting her off from view. Kloi was shaking with anger. She cared deeply for Tony, and seeing him hurt made her powers go hay-wire.

"Kloi." His voice was soft. "Kloi, come here."

She obeyed mutely. He put his arms around her.

"It's alright, kid. You need to calm down."

Once again, he helped her regain control.

"Thanks." She whispered.

He didn't respond right away. After a moment he asked, "What made you lose it?"

"She hurt you. Ain't nobody allowed to hurt my billionaire!" Kloi muttered. "You ok, Tony?"

That did it. The man broke down in her arms and cried. "I don't know what I did wrong, Kloi! She started yelling, and then she just up and left! She said that she hates you, and she hates me!"

Kloi tried to comfort him. "You didn't do anything. I don't know what her problem is, but she's been acting weird for a couple weeks. Maybe she just broke. People do that sometimes, Andy. They think that they can handle something, and then they just break. My guess would be that she loved you, but the stress of the super-hero stuff got to her. If that's true, then maybe it's best. You are Iron Man, and your woman needs to be able to accept that. I'm so sorry – I know you love her."

Tony managed a grin through his tears. "Andy?"

"Eh, you needed a nickname. But I'm the only one allowed to call you that!"

"You know that's a girl's name, right?"

"It's also a boy name, short for Anthony." She retorted.

They sat there on the couch, silently, for an hour or so. Kloi was sitting on Tony's lap, with her head against his chest. He had his arms around her, and eventually started playing with a couple strands of her hair. Finally he sighed, gently kissed her forehead, and disappeared into his room.

The next few weeks were extremely trying for them both. Tony would randomly vanish in the middle of the day, and Kloi would always find him in his bedroom. Usually he was staring out the window with tears running down his cheeks, but a couple time she found him screaming into his pillows. She always did her best to comfort him, and he slowly healed. But it took quite a while for him to be back to normal.

It didn't help any that Kloi had been able to guess why Pepper had left. She had been suspicious for quite a while, as the red-head had been acting strangely. It had eventually become obvious to the witch that Pepper was definitely jealous. Which was, of course, ridiculous. Kloi was not romantically attracted to Tony in any way – and he only had eyes for Pepper. But evidently Pepper had been too blind to see that.

During that time, Kloi had a couple more breakdowns. Every now and then her emotions would get out of control, and she would freeze part of the house. Tony never complained, he just helped her calm down and then got Jarvis to clean up whatever ice was left. After she almost had a breakdown in front of a few of Tony's rather distinguished guests, they developed a code. Tony's idea, of course. When she could tell that she was losing it, she was supposed to alert him that they had a "code white". Wherever he was, whatever he was doing, he would then drop everything to help her calm down. It actually worked pretty well, and they were able to avoid some scenes that would have ended up on the internet (at the very least).

In spite of the very public life that Tony led, he still managed to keep Kloi mostly out of the spotlight. He didn't want SHIELD getting wind of another "alien" and coming in to take her away for studying or "containment". Because of this, it was almost two years after Kloi came to earth before she met his team members.

Tony was in a meeting. They had ended up flying to the New York Stark tower, because Thor got mixed up about where he was supposed to go… Kloi was in her room on the floor that she and Tony were living on during their stay, and the Avengers (plus the ever-annoying Nick Fury) were on a lower level.

Tony was, as usual, cracking jokes and appearing to pay very little attention to what Fury was saying, though of course he heard every word. The others were all startled when Jarvis suddenly spoke up, but he wasn't at all surprised.

"Sir, the lady is requesting admittance."

"Stark, we are in a meeting!" Fury growled. "Your lady friends can wait a couple hours."

Tony cast him a scathing glance.

"Sir, the lady says to tell you 'code white'."

"Send her in, Jarvis, for goodness sake!"

"Stark!" Fury cried, angry.

Naturally, Tony ignored his boss. The door to the meeting room opened, and Kloi ran in. The others were all very surprised, and rather disgusted. Knowing Stark's reputation with women, it wasn't hard to guess why. Kloi was obviously much younger than him.

She ignored his irate team and ran straight into her dad's arms. Yes, she had started calling him 'dad'. It had sort of slipped out one day, and they both liked it. She still called him Andy sometimes, but usually only when she was mad or scared. Tony had decided to officially adopt her, but wasn't sure how to go about it without SHIELD finding out. Well, they would know about her now – so that solved that problem.

"Sh, it's ok. You're ok, kid. I'm here."

As always, she relaxed and calmed.

"What's wrong?" He asked, as soon as he was sure she had it all under control.

"I don't know. Nothing. And then it started acting up… I don't know why, Andy!"

"Hey, it's ok. Don't worry about it." He told her when he realized that she was working herself up again.

"Stark, who is this?" Natasha asked, her tone betraying no emotion.

Kloi finally glanced around at the other Avengers. Then she looked back at her dad. Steve didn't wait for Tony to answer.

"Honestly, Stark. She's not a day over twenty! Have you no shame?!"

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Captain!" Tony snapped, outraged. This was his daughter!

"This is your team, Dad?" Kloi asked, looking at each one with interest.

"Dad?!" The rest of the room chorused.

Kloi made a face and said with some attitude, "Yeah, Dad. You got a problem with that?"

"I do not understand, man of iron. When did you have a child?" Thor boomed.

Tony ran a hand through his hair. "About two years ago, when I found her on my doorstep. Before Pepper left. If she hadn't been with me through that, I probably wouldn't be here. And before you all start asking me why on earth you haven't known about her, allow me to point out that our dearly beloved Director would never have let me keep her."

Except for Thor, the team was speechless. The god of thunder, however, just grinned. "What is your name, daughter of iron?"

"Daughter of iron? I like that." She decided. "The name's Kloi."

Thor – who was sitting next to Tony – reached over and took her hand. He kissed it gently and said, "I am most pleased to make your acquaintance, Lady Kloi."

She smiled. "Finally, someone with proper manners." Then she glanced at Tony, looking sheepish. He was frowning, and murmured something in her ear. She blushed, and nodded.

"Right, I'll try to remember that…"

It was too late, however. The damage had been done.

"Proper manners?" Clint asked, raising an eyebrow. "And exactly where do you come from that you consider that 'proper manners'?"

"A very strict, very conservative childhood." Kloi responded smoothly.

"And where did that childhood take place?" Fury asked suspiciously.

"No comment." Kloi shot back, adopting the classic Stark smirk.

Tony grinned. "That's my girl."

"Oh, great. Now there are two of them!" Steve muttered.

"Yup." Kloi returned happily. "You're stuck with two Starks. But don't worry, I'm much easier to put up with than my cocky billionaire is."

Tony just grinned. She was obviously able to hold her own. He had been a little concerned. After all, it was inevitable that the team would find out sooner or later, and he didn't want her to be intimidated by them or something. He shouldn't have worried.

He sat down again, pulling his daughter onto his lap. He knew that she'd be ok by herself now that she had calmed down, but he also knew that she preferred not to be alone after her powers lashed out.

Kloi leaned back, settling herself comfortably against his shoulder. If not for the fake appearance that her mother had imposed on her all her life – which, without her crystal, she couldn't now change – she would have been much too tall to curl up with her forehead against his neck. This was the one time she was thankful to be short.

The rest of the team just watched in stunned silence as the newest Stark snuggled up to her adopted father with a soft sigh. Bruce thought it was sweet, as did Thor. Clint thought they looked rather cute, but still wasn't sure what to make of the whole "Tony Stark has a daughter" thing. Steve was clearly blown away and Fury did NOT look impressed. As usual, no one could tell what Natasha thought. Had they been able to see inside her mind, they might have been surprised. She was thinking that Kloi might help soften and control him. She had already given the man a heart, and a gentle tenderness that he had never displayed with Pepper.

"Stark –" Fury began, but was cut off by Kloi.

"Yes?" She answered, as though he had been talking to her, and smirked slightly.

Fury didn't respond, simply glared at her. "You are not a Stark. There has been no official adoption, SHIELD would have known if there was."

"Which would be the reason for the delay in official papers." Tony cut in. "But believe me, Director. She is every inch a Stark."

Fury ignored him. "Tony Stark is one of our chief operatives. As such, SHIELD has a say in everything in his life. It is too dangerous for everyone involved for you to continue living in his company. You are defenseless, and therefore a liability both to Stark, and to the Avengers team. We shall make alternate arrangements immediately."

To the surprise of everyone present, both Tony and Kloi began to laugh.

"I'm hardly defenseless, Nicky." Kloi grinned. "I'm a big girl. I know how to fight. I can take care of myself. Besides, Dad designed a suit for me – just in case. I'm always wearing the bracelets for it. In fact, I'd say I'm safer here – even with all Dad's wacko enemies – than I've ever been in my life before. You don't have a clue what my childhood was like."

"This is not up for discussion." Fury informed them, his eyes narrowing and Kloi's rather improper use of his name.

"You are right." Tony said suddenly. "You are absolutely right. This is not up for discussion. My daughter is staying with me. Deal with it." He glared at Fury.

Fury was about to start yelling, when Kloi suddenly stood up. Her eyes were dark and dangerous. The room began to get cold.

"I don't really care what you have to say, Fury! Andy is the only Dad I've ever known, and I'm not about to lose him like I lost the rest of my family. I need him. Way more than you could ever dream. If it wasn't for Andy, I'd probably be on your hit list – or I'd be dead. So you can just shove off! I'm not going anywhere, and you can't make me. I strongly advise you not to try!"

Tony pulled her back onto his lap. "Kid, calm down. You're going to lose it." He told her quietly, still hoping that SHIELD would never learn of her powers.

Kloi buried her face in his neck and took deep breaths. She began to cry softly, trying to let her tension out without losing control. Tony sat still, patiently rubbing her back and kissing the top of her head, in spite of the tears that turned to ice on his neck. He didn't know much about her past – besides that fact that she came from another world, was princess of said world, had powers that she couldn't really control, and had lost all of her family in some traumatic way – but he knew that Fury had touched a very sore spot in threatening to take her away. As she wept softly, the Director found himself on the wrong side of several angry glares.

Tony looked about ready to murder something. The man that had upset his kid would probably be preferable. Bruce was evidently not impressed with how his Director had handled the situation, and was clearly angry that he had reduced the girl to tears. Thor looked confused, but eventually figured out that Fury was the cause of Kloi's tears, and proceeded to cross his arms and fix Fury with a glare that made the man's eyes widen just a little. Natasha – surprisingly enough – also turned a furious gaze on her Director. That was enough to make him swallow hard; his Russian assassin was not a person he liked to cross, whether she worked for him or not. Clint was watching Kloi sympathetically, but every now and then he darted an angry look at Fury. Steve was the only one who didn't look ready to beat some sense into the man. He was staring at the tabletop, listening to Kloi's soft sobs with a sad and thoughtful expression.

"There now, my darling. What_ever_ can have made you so upset?" A smooth, lilting voice broke the silence.

Kloi froze. Everyone else – with the obvious exception of Tony – leapt to their feet and faced the intruder. How she had gotten in was beyond any of them.

"Come, come, love. Mother taught you better than that." Jadis purred. "You ought never to display such weakness, certainly not to those beneath you."

That did it. Kloi shot out of Tony's arms – leaving him free to stand and summon his suit so that he could protect her. As he did so, Kloi's powers exploded in a storm of ice, snow, and freezing cold.

"YOU – ARE – NOT – MY – MOTHER!" Kloi screamed, trying to hurl all the frozen substances she had just produced at the smirking witch. Jadis looked mildly offended, and then hurt.

"But sweetheart – "

A second iron suit appeared suddenly, and Tony smiled. Yes, making that had definitely been a good thought. To his surprise, Kloi didn't attack. Instead, she sent what looked rather like a mini grappling hook straight at the pale woman, and snatched a necklace off the woman's neck.

Then the suit disappeared. The woman now looked frozen in shock, and Kloi was the one smirking.

"Ah, Jadis. Will you never cease to be fooled by my rather convincing acts?" She purred, in a voice that sounded much more wholesome than that of the other woman. "I would have thought that after I blew my cover and exposed myself as your enemy, you would not be so easily fooled a second time."

Kloi calmly clasped the necklace about her own neck, and then threw her arms out and her head back. She grew taller, until she was as tall as her mother. Her eyes turned green, and her hair turned from blond to black. Her skin, though still pale, was no longer almost paper white. The ice and snow in the room disappeared, and the temperature returned to normal.

"Oh, and thank you _so_ much for returning my crystal to me. It will be so nice to have complete control of myself again. My ice powers keep acting out, you know. Tony's had a devil of a time helping me hide them. They seem to flare up at the most inconvenient times. Of course, now I can do everything I once could – including all the things you never knew about."

Jadis was gaping at her.

"I have one question, my _darling_ mother." Kloi continued, her voice turning dark and dangerous. "No, several questions, actually. And you will answer them."

"Oh will I, now?" Jadis asked, finally recovering herself. Her gaze darted about the room, assessing her situation. She was vastly out-numbered, and now that she wasn't using her daughter's crystal she had almost no control over her (already vastly limited in comparison to the powers that Kloi seemed to wield) powers.

"Yes. Because if you do not… Let's say that you will wish for death, and will not find it." Kloi announced, her eyes narrowed. "First – what happened in Narnia, after my magic took me away to protect me?"

Jadis waved a hand dismissively. "Narnia does not concern me. There are far greater worlds awaiting conquest."

"What happened?!" Kloi shouted, shooting an ice shard at the older witch.

"That pompous Lion decided to practice black magic." Jadis spat. "It brought him back from the dead. My forces were… insufficient."

Kloi growled dangerously. "It wasn't black magic – you're a fool. You see everything through your own twisted mind, and do not understand the deeper things of magic. When a willing victim who has committed no treachery is killed in a traitor's stead, the Stone Table will crack and death itself will turn backwards. That is the true meaning of sacrifice. Aslan gave you his life to save Edmund, and you accepted. Your greed was your undoing."

Jadis sneered, but did not answer.

"If Aslan won, he would have killed you." Kloi continued with her questions, fully aware that everything she said caused the team behind her to gape. "How are you alive?!"

Jadis laughed derisively. "I taught you better than that, Kloi. You can never really _kill_ a witch. We can always come back. One drop – that was all it took. One drop of Adam's blood, and I was freed."

Kloi paled. "Who did you kill?" She whispered hoarsely.

"No one of consequence. A simple Englishman. He was due for death anyway. Over eighty years old. Besides, his life has long belonged to me." She watched the girl closely to see when she understood.

"NO!" Kloi screamed, shooting more ice at the woman she had once loved. "NO! Edmund!"

The witch laughed cruelly. "You see, my little daughter? Even Aslan could not keep him from me in the end."

"Why are you here?!" Kloi demanded, tears streaming down her face.

"Have you forgotten everything you ever knew about your mother, darling?" Jadis asked, amused. "Why would I be here, if not for two things? Power, and revenge. You betrayed me, so I will kill you. And I shall take over this world in the meantime. In fact, I do believe that this is the world I entered before Narnia. A rich place indeed. Had I stayed longer than a few hours, it would have been mine."

"This world will never be yours!" Kloi snarled.

Jadis raised an eyebrow and smirked. She hummed slightly, and then said, "We shall see. Keep the crystal. It won't be long before I need it no more."

With that, she disappeared.

Kloi stared at the last place her mother had been, breathing hard. Then she said, very softly, "I'm sorry, Andy. I was wrong. I do not have a psychotic brother trying to take over the world. Apparently I have a psychotic _mother_ trying to take over the world."

She dropped to the floor, and put her head in her hands.

"Hey, kid. It's ok. The agreement was about your brother. As long as he's not psycho, it's all good." Tony joked weakly, trying to comfort her. To his surprise, it worked.

Kloi stiffened, and then her head shot up and she laughed incredulously. "My brother. My brother! I have my crystal back! I can try to contact my brother! I'm such an idiot. Aslan's mane – why didn't I think of that sooner!"

Tony was obviously relieved that she was in better spirits, but he was also obviously a little confused. He said firmly, "Before you do anything, Kloi – you're going to explain what just happened, and what that necklace has to do with anything, and who Aslan is, and – "

"Ok, Dad. I get it."

"Good." Fury snapped. "Start talking." His eyes narrowed. "Witch."

Tony growled, and would have tackled Fury. Kloi held her hand out and frowned. "It's fine, Dad. That's what I am. A witch. I didn't choose to be, but I wouldn't be anything else."

Her Dad pulled her close to him, wrapping his arms about her protectively. He was still glaring at Fury. The others just waited quietly. They all wanted to know everything that Tony had asked about, and were hoping that WW3 wasn't about to break out in front of them before they got their answers. Or after answers, for that matter…

After a moment of silence, Kloi began. "I was born in another world, Narnia. My mother was – is – a very powerful witch. She came from an entirely different world, and conquered Narnia. She enslaved everyone and everything – even the weather. For as long as I can remember, it was always winter. She decided that she wanted an heir – why, I'm sure I don't know, since she's immortal – and kidnapped a powerful warlock from some other world to be the father. Once she was pregnant, she killed him. She used her powers to speed the pregnancy up, as she didn't think a pregnant witch seemed very fierce and cruel. When she had us, she immediately hated my brother. We are twins, but she only wanted one. And she wanted that one to be a girl. I don't know why but she's always considered women to be better than men. Maybe because Aslan is male? I don't know.

"Anyway, when we were five, Jadis finally decided to get rid of my brother. She had only kept him around that long to see if he would become very powerful. Evidently the powers she was aware of him developing were not sufficiently impressive. She created some sort of portal… It was very draining for her, and I don't think it's a spell she'd ever be able to use again. She just picked him up, and threw him into it… and then it was gone, and Qillaq too. I thought he was dead – it was years before we found each other again."

Bruce raised his hand sheepishly. "Why… Why would she go to all that effort if she hated him? I don't mean to be indelicate but… Why didn't she just kill him?"

Kloi nodded. "It's fine – it's a good question. For a lot of years I wondered the same thing. I eventually found the answer in one of my father's books – Jadis kept the ones she deemed useful. He had placed some sort of charm on himself. He couldn't be killed by magic, and neither could his children. Something to do with protection from his greatest enemy… I don't know who, though. It wasn't Jadis. So she couldn't use magic to kill him. And there are constraints laid on witches and warlocks, to ensure that the race continues. There was a time when a powerful witch decided that warlocks were a threat to her – or something like that, she was a total nut job – and so she killed all the young warlocks she could get her hands on. She was a queen, and so all her subjects had to kill their male children… Eventually a number of powerful witches and warlocks banded together to put a stop to it. Now there is powerful magic that rests on magical children. They cannot be killed by anyone possessing magic, or any non-magical being that is hired to 'do the dirty work' for a magical being. So, whether she used magic or not, Jadis couldn't kill him."

Bruce nodded, and Fury cut in with irritation. "Can we please get back to the explanation? I would like to know what that witch wants with the earth."

Kloi just looked at him. "She kind of made it obvious, Nicky. Domination. And revenge – but that has more to do with me than the earth."

Tony snorted at the expression on Nick's face. He knew from personal experience that once Kloi dubbed you something, it took a natural disaster to get her to call you something else. She was going to annoy Fury with that particular nickname till the day one of them died. And if Fury died first, she'd find a way to get it on his headstone. He snorted again at the thought.

Kloi glanced back at him with a grin. She knew that they were thinking the same thing.

"So, we were five, she sent Qillaq away to die… She fully expected him to. It's my hope that she doesn't know he's alive. That would give us a definite advantage – he's even more powerful than I am.

"She kept me as her personal little doll. I had to be exactly what she considered the 'perfect daughter' or I was punished. I remember when I was little, before I realized that she was evil, I would cry and try to be good enough that she would love me. I think it was when she sent Qillaq away that I realized what she was capable of. Eventually I mastered being 'perfect' – but I didn't ever love her again. I went behind her back, and helped her enemies. Aslan is… Well, he's the true king of Narnia, so he's the chief of her enemies. Long story short, I saved a guy from her – that would be Edmund, he became like a second brother to me – and then I was defending him in battle. She hurt him, I challenged her, we fought. She managed to rip off my crystal – without it I have very little control over my magic. My magic went haywire, and got me out of there to protect me. And that's how I ended up on Dad's doorstep, unconscious."

The team was staring at her. It was Clint who spoke next.

"What was with the 'blood of Adam' thing?"

Kloi's eyes hardened. "Aslan killed her. But, _of course_, nothing's ever that simple with Jadis. She's a witch – and witches can be brought back once. But only once. Most never come back – why would we? But Jadis isn't happy unless she is making someone else miserable."

"What does that have to do with 'Adam's blood'?" Clint asked again.

Kloi sighed. "That's what she needed – to bring her back. One drop of Adam's blood. That's basically just a fancy way of saying 'one drop of a male human's blood', since Adam was the first of all men. So – like the sadistic bitch that she is, she decided to kill someone that she knew was important to me." Kloi's voice dropped to a soft whisper. "I didn't even know that he was still alive."

Tony's glare forbade anyone to question her further on that account.

Fury shifted slightly, completely untouched by her sorrow, and demanded, "All I want to know is how to send your mother back to whatever hell she came here from."

"Jadis. Is. Not. My. Mother." Kloi hissed, the sadness gone from her eyes as she was distracted. "And I don't know how to kill her. She is powerful, and it will be difficult. I do not even know where she is, and I do not know where to find her. That sort of magic is more Qillaq's strength."

"Then where is Qillaq?" Fury demanded.

Kloi closed her eyes in frustration.

"Well?"

"Hey, give her a break." Steve spoke up suddenly. "None of this is her fault. Just let her think in peace."

Silence reigned. Kloi had given Steve a grateful look, and then returned to staring at the insides of her eyelids as she wracked her brain for any idea of how to find her brother. She didn't know where he was – she never had. All she knew was the name of the realm that he had landed in when Jadis flung him through the portal. Sheepishly, she opened her eyes.

"I don't know where he is. I only have one clue."

"And what is that?" Natasha asked, her tone professional.

"Does anyone here recognize the name Jotunheim?"

**So, yeah. That happened. There's an awful lot packed into that chapter. I considered breaking it into two, but wasn't sure where to do that - so I didn't.** **If anybody figures out who Qillaq is, PM me. :) I hope it's not too obvious...**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey all! Sorry for the wait! So, in this chapter, the mystery continues to unfold and our second villain-in-disguise is revealed! And it was probably obvious all along... But what's an author to do, eh?**

Kloi had no idea why they all reacted the way they did. Her question was met with sudden suspicious looks from everyone except Tony and Thor – who both looked very surprised and not a little shocked.

"…I'm guessing that everyone knows where Jotunheim is, and there's something not so good about the place?"

"What connection is there between your brother and that realm?" Thor asked, worriedly.

"That's the place that the portal sent him." Kloi explained. "He told me that it was probably because it was snowy, and freezing cold, and his powers are much like mine. He said that he got out of there pretty quickly – a man helped him. But that's all I know. He never told me much about exactly what happened."

Thor nodded slowly. "A man helped him? There are no men in Jotunheim. Only the Jotuns – frost giants."

Kloi frowned. "Qillaq can tell the difference between a giant and a man. If he said a man helped him, then there was a man in Jotunheim."

Thor pondered for a few long moments. Suddenly he brightened. "If your brother is anywhere in the nine realms, Heimdall will be able to see him. We have only to go to Asgard for this mystery to be solved!"

Fury instantly voiced his disapproval, but was quickly over-ruled by the rest of the team – all of whom proceeded to studiously ignore his continued protests and orders. It was quickly decided that Thor would be taking the entire team on a brief field trip to Asgard. At the last second, Fury came too. If he couldn't stop his team, he was at least going to be there with them.

Their course of action decided, the team gathered around Thor; he raised his hammer and called on Heimdall. A streaming column of color engulfed them, and then they were flying through space. They each felt weightless, and several of them found themselves growing… Travel sick. Yeah, let's just call it that.

Then their feet touched a golden floor.

Surprisingly, Fury was the only one who fell. The others all managed to stay upright, and gaped at their director. The sight of the stern man crumpled in a heap on the floor was definitely not one they saw every day. Kloi was the only one – besides Thor, who had done this many times before – who appeared totally unaffected. She shrugged and attributed it to her magic.

"Heimdall, we have a question for you." Thor boomed.

The gatekeeper inclined his head ever so slightly, and waited.

"Where is the brother of Lady Kloi? We must find him with all speed."

Heimdall said nothing, only turned his silent gaze on Kloi. He assessed her, seeming to stare straight through to her soul. She returned his gaze unflinchingly.

At length he spoke. "Lady Kloi. It is well met."

Kloi smiled slightly. "You are the one who watches over him, are you not? He has spoken of you, though not by name."

Heimdall nodded. "I guard his secrets, and his life. He is strong, your brother. The part that he plays is difficult for him, as the part you played was difficult for you. But your role was exposed, and now perhaps it is time for his true nature to be known as well."

"Where is he, Heimdall?" Kloi asked quietly.

"You will find him easily enough." He returned. "He is within this realm. Your magic will guide you to him. I shall alert the All-father of your arrival. He has long awaited this day. In truth, he too plays a part. And it is difficult for him, even as your brother's part is difficult."

Kloi wrinkled her nose at the man's reply. "Do you go out of your way to sound mysterious?"

To the surprise of everyone else, the stern Asgardian laughed. "You are very much like your brother, indeed." Then he turned and strode from the room.

Kloi huffed, and closed her eyes.

"Kid?" Tony asked quietly, using the only pet name she would allow him to call her.

"Shush." She shot back. "You're distracting me."

They waited in silence. Kloi spent about three minutes with her eyes closed, before she opened them and laughed. "Of course. I might have known. It was either there, or in the library."

She darted forward.

"Hey!" Tony cried, running after her with the team (and a still seasick Fury) on his heels. "Where are we going?!"

"To find my brother!" She called over her shoulder.

Tony rolled his eyes, finally catching up to her. He grabbed her wrist and forced her to slow. "Ok – but it's not a marathon. Besides, do you even know where you are going? We have a tour guide, you know."

Kloi just grinned sheepishly. "I know where I'm going, and my magic can help me get there… But your tour guide would probably be faster."

Tony grinned back, and called over his shoulder. "Hey Thunder-fist! Get over here, and tell us how to get where we're going!"

Thor frowned at Tony, but came up beside Kloi. "And where am I taking you, Lady Kloi?"

"The gardens." Came the immediate reply.

Thor nodded, and started off. It didn't take long for Kloi to start whining about going faster. Fury told her to shut up – receiving a potent glare from Tony, as well as a few others – but Kloi just raised an eyebrow.

"I haven't seen my brother in centuries. I believe I might be excused for being a little impatient."

Thor picked up the pace a little, giving Fury something that looked dangerously like a smirk. It appeared that in being adopted by one Avenger, Kloi had more or less been adopted by them all. They might not have known her long, but it was clear that they liked her. Besides, she was Tony's daughter. He might be an annoying prat, but he was one of them – therefore his daughter was one of them as well.

At length they reached the rather extensive gardens. Thor was obviously waiting for more direction – after all, her brother could be anywhere. Kloi flitted in front of him and began to hurry along the various paths. She was obviously following some sort of magical signature, as she often paused and abruptly changed direction.

Finally she paused, staring at someone sitting on a bench in a small, tucked away corner of the garden. There was a small fountain behind the bench, and the person was sitting, facing the fountain, engrossed in a small book. He seemed completely unaware of their presence.

Thor frowned. He knew who that was – and he didn't understand why Kloi had led them here.

Kloi took several small, silent steps forward, before stopping again. In a very soft voice she asked tremulously, "Qillaq?"

The man tensed. In one motion he stood and whirled to face her – his book fell, forgotten, on the ground. The Avengers all gaped and gripped their various weapons; they recognized him at once.

Loki stared at the girl before him.

"Kloi?"

**And the plot thickens... Did anyone see that coming? And does anyone have a clue how it's all going to work out? Let me know! Btw - does anyone notice anything odd about the siblings names?**


	8. Chapter 8

***clears throat and tries to sound Asgardian* Those individuals who consistently review have my utmost thanks and appreciation!**

_Previously..._

_Loki stared at the girl before him._

_ "Kloi?"_

And then Kloi was running forward. She threw herself into Loki's arms, and buried her face in his chest. He crushed her against him, as though if he let her go she would vanish. After a long moment, they drew apart.

"What – how are you here? _Why_ are you here?" Loki asked, studying her face.

"Aslan came back, and the sons of Adam and daughters of Eve came. I ousted myself to protect the younger son of Adam. Jadis was furious… In the battle, she hurt the boy I protected, and tried to kill his brother – I intervened, and she fought me. She took my crystal, and she tried to kill me – my magic lashed out to protect me and took me away. I've been living on earth for two years."

Loki's brow furrow, his gaze moving to her neck where her crystal rested. "Then how –"

"I'm working on it!" She told him, shutting him up while she continued. "Now she showed up – about half an hour ago. She wants revenge on me, and is set on ruling the world. You know it won't stop there either. She's too power hungry."

"That's when you got your crystal back?" Loki clarified.

"Yes. Qillaq, what are we going to do? We have to find her!" Kloi cried, jumping straight to the point.

Loki nodded. "Clearly. Unfortunately, helping you will jeopardize my own agenda." He told her. "I can't afford to blow my cover just now – not when I'm so close."

Kloi frowned. "Then what do we do?"

Loki sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. "I… Let me think." There was a long, pregnant silence while he pondered the options. "I think that you'd better get the Avengers involved." He said at length. "They deal with the unusual, so they would be more likely to believe you than most. Especially if you show them a little of what you can do. You'll have to play it right – they'll be suspicious of you. But if any of earth's inhabitants can handle Jadis, they can. And they have my brother, Thor, with them. I don't think Jadis has any power to counteract Mjolnir." He raised a hand as Kloi started to say something. "Of course I will help if you need me – but I shall try to finish with my enemy first."

Kloi finally got a word in edgewise. 'Um, Qillaq – are your eyes working properly?"

He looked confused. "Yes…"

"Then you have, of course, noticed that the Avengers are – in fact – right behind me?"

Loki glanced up and his eyes widened. "You brought them here?" He hissed.

"...They wanted to come along… Was that wrong of me?"

Loki closed his eyes and sighed, frustration evident. "You didn't know."

"Didn't know what?" She demanded.

"Doubtless they've mentioned the crazy psychopath who tried to take over the earth a few years ago?"

"Yes…" She stared at him for a moment. "And you were the crazy psychopath, weren't you."

He shrugged, and nodded.

"…And that was supposed to do what exactly?"

Loki groaned, and ran his hands through his hair. "Prevent the world from actually being taken over."

"How?"

"Because if _I_ was the crazy psychopath, I could make sure that they won!"

Kloi studied him for a minute, before grinning. "So you're Loki. Very sweet of you, Qillaq. Rearranging my name, and taking it as your own."

Loki shrugged helplessly. "Well, I missed you. Dammit, Kloi – you're my twin!"

"I'm aware of the fact." She told him drily.

"Kid…" Tony ventured, hardly daring to speak.

That seemed to break some sort of barrier, and Thor rushed forward.

"Brother! You must explain yourself at once! How is it that you are the brother of Lady Kloi?"

Loki winced at the volume of Thor's voice, but faced him. "It's a very long story."

"We've got time." Natasha informed him, glaring. She had a gun in her hand, and was gripping it so tightly that her knuckles were white.

Loki raised an eyebrow at her, easily slipping into his façade. "Calm yourself, mortal." He said condescendingly. "I have no intent to harm you or your pathetic band of vagabonds."

Kloi said nothing, just watched.

Natasha's grip on her weapon tightened. "You're not winning yourself any points."

Loki scoffed. "Why should I desire to "win points"? I have no need for your approval."

The team looked murderous, and there was a faint green tint to Bruce's skin. Loki suddenly dropped his act. The ice disappeared from his eyes, and he smiled. Actually smiled – it was not a malicious smirk, it was a real smile, with actual warmth behind it.

"Not bad." Kloi murmured. "Not bad at all. Aslan's mane – that was almost good enough to make _me_ think twice."

Loki smirked, falling back into his role. "I've been told I am a very convincing actor." He purred, then paused and added in a normal, un-evil, tone, "Actually, no such incident comes to mind." He shrugged. "Oh well."

The Avengers were beyond puzzled. Kloi glanced back at them, and then touched her brother's arm. "Qillaq, perhaps you'd better explain…"

Loki glanced at Bruce, and waved his hand. An ethereal green mist flew from his fingers, surrounding the good doctor. When it disappeared, the green tint was gone from his skin. Instead of relieving tension, however, this only seemed to put the Avengers on higher alert than before.

"Yes, brother. Perhaps you'd better." Thor's tone made it clear that this was not a suggestion. Loki bowed his head slightly.

"As you wish. But I believe it would be better if Father was here to assist me. It seems only fair. After all, he has had a hand in this since the beginning."

Kloi paled slightly. "Father…?"

"Odin. My adoptive father." Loki told her softly, putting an arm around her. "I hope this does not upset you, sister."

Kloi shook her head. "No. I understand. But I have a feeling that Dad does not really approve of my family connections."

Loki's brow furrowed. He glanced between her and each Avenger, before his eyes singled Tony out. "Ah, I see."

The Avengers clearly did not know what to make of the situation. For once in his life, Fury didn't start accusing and ordering people around. Even Tony was silent.

**And the drama mounts. Good thing Banner's got a lid on it, eh? Wouldn't want Hulk to mess up Asgard...**


	9. Chapter 9

**I have returned! Bet you all thought I had died or something. :( Don't worry, I am still very much alive. Now that school has started, I have access to school computers again, and can update! Over the break, all I could get on FanFiction with was my tablet. And anyone who has ever worked with a tablet knows that it is a royal pain to try and type on those things. But now that I am back, I am hoping to update everything twice this week in an effort to make it up to you... I may not, as this chapter turned out really long. But you never know.**

_Previously..._

_The Avengers clearly did not know what to make of the situation. For once in his life, Fury didn't start accusing and ordering people around. Even Tony was silent._

At that moment, Odin showed up. He ignored the Avengers, and strode straight to his son.

"Loki." He said softly, pulling the man into a bear hug. "This is your sister? Heimdall told me that she had come."

"Yes, Father." Loki replied. "This is Kloi."

"Pleased to meet you, sir." Kloi dropped a small curtsey.

"You need not bow to me, child." Odin told her gently, smiling. "Your brother is as my son, which makes you a daughter to me."

Kloi grinned suddenly, mischievously. "Not sure what Dad thinks of that."

Tony stepped forward slightly, protectively. Kloi waved him off, not wanting some sort of confrontation. "I guess I have a Dad and a Father, then… I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for Qillaq."

Loki grinned. "I knew it. I _knew_ that would be the first thing you said. Honestly, Kloi – don't you think I can take care of myself?"

"No." She returned.

Her brother gasped and looked hurt. "Ouch."

Thor was watching with amazement. This was not the Loki he had known for the last few years. This was the Loki of his youth, the happy, mischievous, prankster that he knew and loved so well. The rest of the team was still just trying to make sense of the situation.

"Father, I believe that explanations are in order…" Loki trailed off, glancing at the group of heroes that was glaring at him so accusingly.

Odin turned to the Avengers and assessed them. "These are the mortal heroes that defeated the Chitauri with your help?"

"Yes." Loki replied simply. "Although they may argue that I didn't help them much."

Odin studied the group for a moment longer, and then nodded. "Then it is time that the full story be told." He paused, and then began. "Thor will have told you all of the war between Asgard and Jotunheim, when I supposedly found Loki as a babe and brought him back to Asgard. He told you lies, though he cannot be blamed for it – they were lies that I fed him. When I found Loki, he was about five years old. Though not of frost giant heritage, he was braving the frozen wasteland as though he were a native. I could not understand it – and I could not leave him there to die. When he saw me, he asked for my help. I brought him to Asgard, where he and I talked for a long while. He told me of his heritage, and his new-found purpose, and I agreed to help him."

"New-found purpose?" Thor interrupted.

"Doubtless Kloi has told you of how we were separated." Loki said quietly. "While in the portal that Jadis created to get rid of me, I saw many things. Visions, you might call them. I saw a being called Thanos, and what he would do to the system of worlds that I would find myself in. He reminded me of Jadis. I took it upon myself to put an end to him, and it was to that end that Father agreed to help me."

Odin nodded. "The powers that Qillaq – Loki, as he asked to be called – possessed were unlike anything I had ever seen. He laid out his plan for trapping Thanos, and before my eyes changed his form to that of a new-born frost-giant child. It was then that I took him to Frigga, my wife. She knows nothing of his true heritage and purpose. I told her the same things that I later told you, Thor. From that day forward, Loki was my son. He grew once more into a child, and then finally into a man. He has always played his part very carefully. Even as a child, his every move was calculated. He has spent his life forming the person that most believe him to be. He once told me that his background and apparent hate for everyone but himself must be above question. I have not always understood his reasoning, but I trust it. I believe that he was only ever himself in his relationships with Frigga and Thor – and in these later years, he has hidden himself even from them."

"Do not undermine that part that you played, Father." Loki added quietly. "Without your help, I should never have achieved the persona I present. You pretended to hate me and favor Thor above me, simply to make my part more believable."

Odin nodded. "And it was not an easy part to play. I have always loved my sons equally, and it hurt me to favor one above the other, even in pretense. But enough of me. This is Loki's story, not mine." He added gruffly. "It was when he threw himself from the rainbow bridge – a carefully calculated and thoroughly researched move, I assure you – that things began to come to fruition. He fell into the realm in which Thanos was then residing, and allowed himself to be tortured until he appeared to give way to the darkness. You are aware of his attack on your Midgard – it was your fortune that my son was at the head of the Chitauri army. He ensured that you would win. Once captured and returned to Asgard, he has been awaiting the summons that will soon come from Thanos – though he knows that it will come with torture again. This time, he hopes to not only thwart the dark one's purpose, but utterly destroy him."

As Odin finished his explanation, silence fell. Kloi put her arms around her brother's waist, and buried her face in his chest. He stroked her hair gently. The Avengers simply stared in shock at Loki and Odin. Fury was glaring at everyone. He didn't believe this explanation for a moment.

The other Avengers, however... They knew that Thor was reliable, and knew from him that his father was incapable of cooking up such a vast and carefully calculated untruth as this. It followed that this must actually be true. This was difficult to believe, but it was the only option.

Thor was the first to respond. He broke into a beaming smile almost as dazzling as the lightning he controlled and thundered, "Then it is my brother who stands before me once more, and not the man I had feared him to be!"

He rushed forward and engulfed both Loki and Kloi in a huge bear hug. Loki looked almost shocked, but accepted the embrace. Kloi, on the other hand, squirmed and tried to get away.

"Thor! You're squishing me! I'm not nearly as strong as you! Can't breathe!"

Thor released them both with a sheepish smile and soft apology. He was still beaming, however, apparently unable to contain his joy at the news that his brother was actually not a deranged psychopath.

"Why did you take my mind?" Clint asked, suddenly. He was struggling to reconcile the ruthless sadistic man Loki's actions made him appear to be with the kind, self-sacrificing man that Odin's explanation presented.

Loki's expression was serious. "I did not want to control anyone. However, it was an aspect of the Tesseract's power that I was expected – and even commanded – to use. I chose Selvig because of his knowledge. I needed to know things that I did not. I needed to know how to build into the portal a way that you could shut it down. Selvig was able to do this, and so I controlled him. You, Barton, I used for several reasons. You are talented, and Thanos knew this. Controlling you was a small means of self-preservation, if I am honest. I needed to get Thanos off my back so that he wouldn't realize what I was up to. My controlling one of SHIELD's most powerful agents helped Thanos trust me. My second reason was your preservation. Had I not controlled you, I would have been forced to kill you to make my escape from the base. That I was unwilling to do, especially knowing that you would have to help the others if they were to defeat me."

Loki paused and cleared his throat slightly. "Third, you and Agent Romanov are friends. Fury prizes you. I knew that taking you would spur Fury into action much faster than they might have moved otherwise. Also, it guaranteed that Agent Romanov would join the fight against me, which I knew would be necessary. Finally, your 'escape' from my control provided SHIELD with some much needed information. It was the only way I could contrive to get that information to SHIELD. Thanos could hardly fault me for the loss of one fighter in a successful mission. He never suspected that I set you in Romanov's path and relinquished my hold on you deliberately."

They all stared at him in shock, except for Kloi. She was humming softly, thinking somehting through. "Good reasons, Qillaq. Still - you better apologize. Mind control is not something to be taken lightly. You know the sort of repurcussions it can have. I'd rather not have Clint go insane."

Loki huffed. "Do you really think that I would allow that? And when did you become an expert on mind control? For your information, I released my hold on him willingly. That ensures that he will not go mad."

Steve spoke up suddenly. "And what of Coulson? You killed him!"

Loki's face shadowed. "Coulson knew."

"What do you mean?" Steve spat. It was clear that he had still not healed from the loss of the man.

"He knew everything. Well, nearly - everything relevant to the situation. He knew of Kloi because I wanted someone other than Odin to know. But he knew nothing of where I really came from, or my birth mother. All he knew was that I was from a realm none here knew of, and that I received my powers from Jadis. Odin and I made contact with him immediately prior to Thor's banishment. He agreed to my plans. When I allowed myself to be taken aboard your helicarrier, he came to me. I had managed to create a telepathic link - Tesseract power. He told me he was coming, so I messed with the cameras and told him how to get there unseen. He was a smart man. A good man."

"If everything you say is true, then WHY DID YOU KILL HIM?" Steve shouted.

Loki did not react to the anger. He spoke quietly. "He told me to."

The ensuing silence was shocked and tense.

"That night, when Phil came to me, he told me a number of things that I had only been able to guess at before. He told me exactly what SHIELD was speculating. I knew that I had to make my escape dramatic. Had to make you all hate me. Hence dropping Thor in the cage. I knew that he would break out in time - he's Thor, how could he not? And it would make him despair of me - despair enough to overcome his love for me and actually fight like he never would. I would release Barton that night. The things that SHIELD needed to know, they would learn through him. But the things that Phil told me... I began to wonder at a few of my previous actions."

Loki paused. "I knew that Barton was strong. What Phil told me, however, made me wonder if he was strong enough. Magical control - as you have doubtless guessed from what Kloi said - is no small matter. I began to be afraid that Barton would sink into a guilty depression. I feared that he would hold himself responsible for the things that I made him do. I feared that, perhaps, I had put too many cards in one place. So much depended on Barton. I couldn't afford for him to fail. I also feared that Fury would remove him from the Avengers initiative, as a precaution. Without Hawkeye, I doubted that the Black Widow would fight. And they were both necessary for my defeat."

"So you decided to kill your ally and friend in order to keep me on the team?" Clint asked bluntly, fury raging in his eyes and on his face.

Loki shook his head. "No. But I am not finished." He turned to Tony.

"Iron man. The genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist."

Tony started, obviously wondering how Loki knew he had said that, but Loki explained immediately. By his expression, they could tell that he was amused. "You forget how much Heimdall is able to see. I was regularly in communication with him. He told me what was happening in other places, so that I always knew what I was dealing with."

Tony nodded sharply, accepting the explanation, and gestured for Loki to continue what he had originally been going to say.

"You are cocky, independent. You play by your own rules. You are lazy, and prefer not to be involved unless you absolutely have to, or there is something in it for you. Dr. Banner was right. The group of you were a time-bomb - and you were the main explosive. I had to get you involved - personally involved. Otherwise you would never play by my rules. Stark Tower was convenient for my purposes - though I would have preferred that it not be in the very center of a densely populated area - as it provided both the energy Selvig needed for the portal and a measure of personal involvement for you. However, Phil told me that it would not be enough. I considered kidnapping Pepper, but did not want to make you positively suicidal."

"So you killed Agent Coulson." Tony was not impressed.

Loki ignored him, and turned to Bruce. "You, Dr. Banner, were not involved in my decision regarding Phil in any way. I believe that you need to know this. There was nothing that you did, or might have done, to prevent his death."

Finally, Loki looked at Fury. "As for you." There was derision in his voice. "The super-spy, who - as Stark noted - has secrets within secrets. Your plan to build weapons drew the attention of Thanos. It was through _you_ that he learned the whereabouts of the Tesseract. You then proceeded to make gamble after gamble - telling the ones who could save the world only the things that you _wished_ them to know, and not the things that they _needed_ to know. Phil saw this. He saw what you were doing. He knew that you would never treat the threat with the respect it deserved - unless. You ought to know that _you_ are the real reason for Phil's death. I hope that the guilt of that eats you up inside, and somehow changes you - makes you a better man. I doubt that it will, but I hope."

They all stared at him - except Fury, who only glared.

Loki sighed. "Phil came to me that night, while you were arguing in Banner and Stark's lab. He told me all this, and even more that I will not burden you with. Heimdall confirmed Phil's concerns. I saw that he was right, but most of my plans were too firmly set to change. We worked out a few changes together, but he was adamant that it would not be enough. What we decided on took care of the problems involving Barton and Stark. It was Fury that he was worried about. He told me that he could think of only one way to make Fury take us seriously. I could not believe my ears when he told me to kill him."

All of the Avengers burst out in violent protestations at that point, but Kloi quickly quieted them.

"Be quiet! All of you! SHUT UP!"

Loki nodded at her, and continued. "I refused. He persisted, and so did I. Finally, he begged me. He pleaded with me to take his life in exchange for the safety of his world. He told me that he had always known that someday he would give his life for Earth. It was only a matter of when. He said that if I failed, and Thanos succeeded, he would be a dead man anyway. If he was to die, he would chose a death that he deemed better." Loki's eyes took on a haunted look, and he looked at Kloi. "Have you ever seen a man beg, Kloi? He begged me. For the sake of... everything. Everything that he believed in, everything that he lived for. Everything that he had ever cared about. Every_one_ he had ever cared about. He begged for death. He begged for it with tears. How could I refuse him? And how could I grant his request?"

Nothing but silence greeted this question, and Odin put a comforting arm around his adopted son.

"At length I told him that I would consider it. Then, later that night, we made our move. Barton, acting under my control, breached the helicarrier. Agents died, both those under my control and those still working for SHIELD. I regret the loss of life, but it was necessary. I could not have stopped it without Thanos being alerted to my true purposes. Barton came to release me, and Thor and Phil came to stop me. Phil directed other agents away from my cell room, so that they would not be caught in the confrontation. It would be only the three of us. I tricked Thor. It was simple to do - I knew he would fall for it as he always has. I mean no insult to you, brother. It is no fault to you - you have always been protective of me, and tend to always think the best of me. You are a warrior, not a magician, and it is reasonable that you cannot see the difference between an illusion and reality. Few sorcerers can do as much."

Thor bowed his head slightly in acknowledgement. He would never admit it, but his brother's words that night had hurt him. That hurt was now soothed significantly.

"With Thor trapped in my cell, I put up another illusion. I was still undecided regarding Phil's pleas, and wished to buy some time. Instead of fighting, we talked. He begged me once more, and I continued to refuse. Finally he said that he would do it himself, if I would not. I did not wish him to take his own life, so I finally capitulated. I dropped the illusion, and struck him. Then I replaced the illusion, unwilling to let my friend die alone. It was not I who dropped Thor from the helicarrier. It was a young agent I was controlling - under the illusion of myself. I sent him from the room, and released my hold. He was so young, that I also removed his memory of the whole event. Heimdall tells me that he was later found, recognized as one who had escaped me, and removed to a safe place. I am glad. He was the youngest under my control, and I never even learned his name. He was strong, that one."

Loki paused. "Phil never shot me with that gun. I doubt that even I would have survived such a blast. That was all illusion. I was at his side when he died, holding his hand. He thanked me for killing him. Thanked me for being willing to sacrifice him for the safety of his world. He asked me to swear that I would tell you all, one day - should I survive to do so. He did not wish you to think his blood on my hands." Loki's eyes were slightly misted. "Not a day goes by that I do not think of him with regret."

"Why didn't you simply create an illusion of his death?" Steve demanded.

Loki sighed. "There are limits to everything, Captain Rogers, even magic. I could have done what you suggest. But Fury would have seen right through it. The illusion would have dissipated at his touch, and he would have known that Phil was still alive. He would then have either declared Phil a traitor, thus defeating the purpose of his supposed death, or he would have figured out my secret. Not a likely possibility, but a possibility nonetheless. If that had happened, he would have felt himself secure. Rather than giving it his all, he would have pulled his agents and prevented you all from fighting. He would have left it to me to clean up Thanos's mess alone - which would have resulted in the destruction of your world."

Kloi laid a hand on his arm. "I cannot imagine the pain it has caused you, Qillaq. I had to stand by and watch as many of my friends were killed, but I always managed to avoid killing them myself. I was fortunate that mother believed me when I claimed such a "chore" to demeaning for one of my status." Kloi's face saddened. "There were so many, so many I couldn't save." She seemed to return from a memory and embraced her brother.

The Avengers all shuffled restlessly. Kloi stood beside her brother and stared them down. On Loki's other side, Odin did the same. Heimdall appeared from behind them all somewhere, and added his gaze to the mix. They simply stood there, waiting for the answer to the unspoken question.

Did the Avengers believe any of it?


End file.
